Rafe Heydel-Mankoo believes Britain’s revolution has already happened. He argues that the country has been quietly reshaped through its institutions - from the heroes we celebrate to the ideas we teach our children.
I show him the reading list from my old university essay, and we discuss why he blames the Conservatives as well as Labour. We also explore his warning about Northern Ireland-style conflict in Britain - and whether there’s still time to prevent it.
Watch the full interview on YouTube | Listen on Spotify
My take
When Rafe said the revolution had already happened, I got goosebumps. I hadn’t thought of it that way before. We spend so much time worrying about what might happen next that we can overlook what has already changed.
3 things I learned
Elections are only part of the picture. Rafe made me think about how much influence remains inside institutions when governments change.
My own education deserved another look. I’d forgotten how much gender and queer theory appeared on my English literature reading list.
The middle classes could drive future unrest. Rafe’s argument about AI threatening professional jobs—and the lives people expected to lead—stuck with me.
If you could change one institution first - education, the media or the civil service - which would you choose, and why?
I’d change the civil service because it has the means to distort our society directly.
Catherine Birbal Singh gave her speech on this at Together Declaration, very well worth a listen.