With our forlorn sense that politics isn’t working and that democracy is broken, as we feel the impacts of both climate change and the decision to leave the European Union in real time, the symbolic answer to our political crisis was always staring us in the face. It was Caroline Lucas, the best prime minister we never had – and, now that she is standing down from her Brighton Pavilion seat, we will never get.
In her bold but gentle way, Lucas embodied the fact that politicians and politics could be better. Not perfect, but good enough. Good enough to know that meaningful change needs a vision of a good society to compel it, alongside bold enough policies and strong enough alliances to get us there.
