Enough said. What’s gone wrong with the language of politics? With Mark Thompson

The crisis of confidence in institutions and mainstream media represents a danger to democratic life. A democratic society needs space - whether physical or digital – where discussion and debate acknowledge the dignity of the opponent. If the political class fails to go beyond propaganda or self-centeredness, and if the media cannot find an appropriate language for citizens, those spaces risk becoming a moat that anti-establishment rhetoric easily fills with a language of hatred, anger and division, undermining the basis of society. If public debate sees language eroded, what does this imply about the actual state of health of our democracy?