After Liberal Democracy | Open Session

About the Authors

Dr Jim Cowan has over 40 years’ experience in political and social change in Britain, both academically and in community work on housing estates, with family support, disability communities, and institutional racism. As a long-term socially engaged Buddhist, he explores a shared consciousness which creates a foundation for a new future. He is also active in the Integral movement hosting the monthly meetings of the Integral UK group. His research since 2012 led to The Britain Potential (2019), highlighting the UK civil society’s creativity. Since then, he and Tom Meek have collaborated on analysing UK politics, culminating in their current project and Substack, After Liberal Democracy.

Tom Meek is a Jack of many trades. He’s been a sailor, soldier, project manager, nearly a banker, diplomat, stay-at-home Dad and, most recently, CEO of a start-up political party. He brings an understanding of how government and government departments work, what motivates politicians and judgement about realistic solutions. He wrote an internal report for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about how to prepare for the 2020s. Many of his predictions have come true. He’s an idealist in the sense that he believes we can always do better and that this has to start within us. But he’s also resolutely practical: perfect solutions that are unachievable are useless; working together to achieve the most we can is always possible.