The Guardian view on a new National Conversation: whether this works will depend on who is listening

‘One striking finding in the commission’s first report was that younger adults were more likely to be daunted by the prospect of meeting new people than older ones.’ Photograph: Image Source/Alamy

Established in the aftermath of the 2024 riots triggered by the Southport murders, the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion set itself the task of bridging divides. Set up on a cross‑party basis with Labour and Tory co-chairs (Jon Cruddas and Sir Sajid Javid), the project leans on a “more in common” philosophy of looking for what connects people, particularly in the places where they live. While it takes on board a range of activities and attitudes, the overarching theme is that heightened conflict and reduced contact between social groups are problems that are not taken seriously enough.

A new online survey billed as the National Conversation, which launched this week, is an attempt to build up a picture of how people across the UK feel about these issues. It will harvest information about, for example, whether respondents feel a greater sense of belonging to their local area or to the UK, and whether they are friendly with neighbours.