Inauguration day in the US signalled the drum beat of the far right sweeping across western democracies. According to Sadiq Khan, now is the time to be “unflinching in defence of our democracy and values”. Rightly, Khan warned that “the spectre of a resurgent fascism haunts the west” as Europe’s hard-right politicians, including some from Britain, gathered in Washington to welcome the new president.
Mayors are in a unique position: they can give voice to what many think but the government cannot say, bound as it is by diplomacy and trade links. Protecting democracy, Khan said, will mean ministers must “ratchet up” pressure on social media companies to stop “a billionaire bully” using his social media platform to amplify lies and “advance the cause of the far right”. Yes indeed – let’s do that.
