Is the centre ground dead?

<p>Commentators say the financial crisis and its aftermath sounded the death knell for centrist parties. Is the centre ground of British politics really dead, or could it make a comeback? And what does the ‘centre’ even mean these days?</p> <p>This week, <a href="http://twitter.com/mrianleslie">Ian Leslie</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/rsamatthew">Matthew Taylor</a> discuss the Independent Group, before talking to the political sociologist <a href="https://twitter.com/p_surridge">Paula Surridge</a> from the University of Bristol about public opinion and the centre.</p> <p>Plus: what is Tom Watson up to?</p> <p><strong>Links</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://bmgvaluesclans.bmgresearch.co.uk/wix/2/p1869293692.aspx">Which values clan do you belong to?</a></li> <li><a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/values-clans/">‘Values clans’: how clusters of the electorate have shaped the political landscape</a></li> <li><a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/cross-pressured-clans/">The ‘cross-pressured clans’ of British politics: a quarter of the electorate and their values</a></li> </ul> <p><strong><a href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=&amp;text=Listen%20to%20Polarised%20from%20the%20RSA%3A%20%E2%80%98Is%20the%20centre%20ground%20dead?%E2%80%99%20https%3A//polarised.simplecast.fm/is-the-centre-ground-dead%20With%20%40p_surridge%20on%20who%20really%20feels%20unrepresented%20in%20UK%20politics%20and%20how%20the%20Independent%20Group%20might%20fare.%20Presented%20by%20%40RSAMatthew%20%26%20%40mrianleslie.">Share this episode on Twitter</a></strong></p> <hr /> <p>Produced by <a href="http://www.twitter.com/jshield">James Shield</a>.</p> <p>Brought to you by the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).</p>