This Sceptred Isle? Britain and the Shrinking Shorelines of Solidarity

Expressions of solidarity can be manifested via a plethora of images, activities and statements which demonstrate concern and support for fellow citizens and human beings. Therefore the actual expression of solidarity is perhaps easier to capture than its decline. Nevertheless this paper seeks to address this gap in the literature by providing an analysis of when solidarity comes under strain across a range of issues. Focusing upon the British context, the paper identifies three key dimensions where solidarity in its different forms has been under pressure: societal solidarity, with the retrenchment of welfare state support through the intensification of ‘welfare reform’, including the introduction of the ‘bedroom tax’, increased scrutiny of disability benefit claimants, workfare for the unemployed and the failure of the ‘big society’; constitutional solidarity, with concerns over the sustainability of the British state following the Scottish independence referendum which has transformed politics not only in Scotland but also at the UK level, as well as the recurring issues surrounding the long term future of Northern Ireland; finally transnational solidarity, with the prospect of an in/out referendum on EU membership on the horizon, the reluctance of the British Government to accept refugees crossing the Mediterranean and the commitment to repeal the Human Rights Act. The paper will conclude by discussing the potential relationship between the breakdown of these types of solidarity and the emergence of alternative sources of solidarity.