Description
From Washington to Westminster, the populist right has shifted from the political fringes to the centre of public debate. With Donald Trump’s return to the White House and the growing influence of Reform UK in post-Brexit Britain, movements once dismissed as protest politics are now reshaping national agendas and challenging established political norms.
This timely panel features Jon Bloomfield and David Edgar, co-authors of The Little Book of the Populist Right, who will examine the rise of contemporary far-right ideologies and their evolution in the 21st century. The discussion will explore why national populist narratives continue to resonate with voters, considering the impact of immigration, economic insecurity, culture wars and media influence.
The panel will also reflect on how mainstream parties have responded to these shifts and what this changing political landscape means for democracy. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on the forces shaping modern politics.
Related Book
The Little Black Book of the Populist Right: What it is, why it’s on the march and how to stop it
Jon Bloomfield
Shop on WaterstonesAbout the Authors
Jon Bloomfield
Jon Bloomfield has more than forty years experience as policy maker and practitioner engaged with cities in the UK and Europe. From 2009-2021 he was a senior adviser on the EU’s largest climate change programme, Climate KIC.
Since 2005 he has been an Honorary research fellow in the School of Public Policy at Birmingham University where he pursues a range of policy interests on European governance; the environment; migration; the role of cities; and national populism. During the 1980s Jon was on the board of Marxism Today and covered the 1989 Velvet Revolution for ‘The Guardian.’ His book, ‘Our City: Migrants and the Making of Modern Birmingham’ was published in 2019. His latest ‘The Little Black Book of the Populist Right’ co-authored with David Edgar was published in 2024 with an updated edition appearing in spring 2026.
David Edgar
David Edgar is a playwright and commentator with strong Bradford connections, having lived in the city from 1969 to 1974 and premiered many early plays at Bradford University. Edgar’s work includes major plays for the RSC and National Theatre, alongside adaptations of Nicholas Nickleby and A Christmas Carol. A political commentator and author of How Plays Work, Edgar was Britain’s first Professor of Playwriting Studies.
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