“Many individuals are doing what they can. But real success can only come if there is a change in our societies and in our economics and in our politics” — David Attenborough In a world of instant news and seemingly-never-ending crises it’s easy to feel a little hopeless. For those…

Nowadays, it can feel quite hard to detach ourselves from that looming sense of doom even a passing interest in politics can generate. Culture wars rage, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has the world beneath its thumb, Brexit is a barely discussed catastrophe, political choices have rendered millions of people in Britain poverty-stricken, and all the while, the prospect of environmental crises hangs above, an existential threat to us all.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has posed profound challenges to the way our government, economy and society function. Offering vital lessons if we dare reflect, the crisis has re-articulated and exacerbated the existing inequalities in British society; leaving the millions of people who were living in poverty prior to the pandemic, even worse off after it. While the harsh light this shines on Britain in the twenty-first century may be uncomfortable viewing for some, the lesson this grim reality offers also opens doors; in particular, for how we should focus our efforts in Building Back Better in the years to come.