What’s the “New Conservationism”? Partly rural Tory voters, electorally embracing the Greens as the saviours of a depleted nature. But there’s more to it
You will know our general reserve about the pathologies of the party-political system at the Westminster level, under the First-Past-The-Post electoral process.
However, we are still interested in the advance of the Greens on these islands, as at least an indicator (however flawed) of readiness for eco-civilisation. See this X thread below pulled together the phenomenon of Tory voters voting Green at the last local elections in the UK:
On the defection of voters from the Tories to the Greens, the FT quotes political historian Glen O’Hara: “it’s essentially a set of reactions against modernity on both left and right”
Except it’s not. It’s pretty clear that we are seeing the emergence of a new conservationism.
The Green’s have been steadily increasing their council seats in East Anglia for almost 20yrs. But what’s happened in the past 4 contests is a surge. It’s not one “against modernity” [FT quote], but more of a ‘final straw’ moment as environmental damage accelerates.
XR reached deep into rural and exurban areas. Down the road from me in Sudbury there was a group - there were groups everywhere. After XR’s peak, and the pandemic lockdowns, most of these people refocused on their local areas.
These activists, combined with other people who had renewed their ecological relationships via the pandemic, mean there is now a huge body of people who want to conserve what little nature’s left. Many live in Tory constituencies [See graphic at top of blog]
Sewage, trashed beaches and rivers, trees felled in town centres (which is what cost the Tories the most in many areas), development *for London* at others’ expense. Bad housing development, etc - nature is taking a renewed beating.
There are large numbers of people in new campaign groups, inc. Right to Roam, and active through existing nature charities. Throughout this milieu there is a shared affect, around not only wanting to stop further destruction, but having access to something more than concrete.
It's not cohered yet into more than a broad revulsion at pollution, destruction of remnants of woodlands, etc, and a desire to have access to nature. So far the Greens are the only group to mobilise this base. But we could be seeing the beginning of a new conservationism.
More here. Also read this prophetic piece from A Very Public Sociologist in August 2023, anticipating the rise of the Green Party under exactly these conditions.