A new Unionism could be the answer to Tory prayers

With four years until the next general election, British politics is in a bloody stalemate. The main parties are stuck at 40 per cent in the polls, reflected in the inconclusive local elections this month. The possibility of a 1997-style landslide has faded and even over-confident strategists (on both left and right) have learnt the meaning of hubris.

It’s true that the current divisions in our politics run deep. There is a clearer left-right split than there has been since the 1980s, with new sources of division amplified by the EU referendum: old vs young, city vs country, the so-called Somewheres vs Anywheres. These exist alongside other regional and national anomalies – including the dominance of London’s economy. Brexit legislation and the existence of a hung parliament only increases the sense of paralysis.

Yet there are causes for optimism and hope. We live in a time of opportunity and historical significance. Brexit can be a turning point: it offers the chance for a comprehensive debate on the parameters of British democracy, sovereignty and security.