EMBARGO: 00.01 Monday 18 May 2026
CONTACT: Alice Humphreys, alice@together.org.uk, 07708 310112
- The ‘National Conversation’ aims to map the public’s shared vision for the future of their communities and the country
- Brits asked to ‘take a minute’ and leave a 60-second voice note on their vision for the future as part of a 10-minute survey carried out by researchers at the University of Oxford.
- The major research project – featuring a national survey and local conversations across the country – will see researchers use AI models to analyse thousands of responses to map what could bring us together.
- The National Conversation kicks off with voice notes submitted by high profile figures
- The project is backed by hundreds of groups from the NHS to TikTok, the UK Muslim Network to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, the Church Urban Fund to the Countryside Alliance and English Football League in the Community
EMBARGOED: 00:01 Monday 18th May.
A major new research project – underpinned by the University of Oxford – is asking the public to ‘take a minute’ to share their vision of their community and the country. The aim is to conduct the country’s most comprehensive mapping to date of the public’s shared vision for the future, trying to determine:
- What unites us?
- What divides us?
- What would bring us closer together?
- What does it mean to be British (and English, Scottish, Welsh etc)?
- What connects us to our neighbours?
- What makes this place feel like home?
The National Conversation has been launched by the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion and will run until the end of August.
Sir Sajid Javid, Co-chair of the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion and former Cabinet Minister said:
“Our country is in real peril. Unless we can regain a shared sense of what unites us – of what we have in common – we risk being torn apart by our differences. That vision won’t come from politicians – it can only come from the public. So please take a few minutes out of your day to add your voice to the national conversation. I’m a great believer in the wisdom of the public – we hope this conversation gives that wisdom voice.”
To take part in the National Conversation members of the public are invited to complete the ten-minute Oxford University survey – filling in a few details about their neighbourhood and then leaving a 60 second voice note about their vision for the future – what unites us, what divides us, and what might bring us closer together. There will also be thousands of small group discussions across the country organised by partner organisations.
Playwright James Graham – who has helped advise on the design of the National Conversation – said:
“As we all know, our society can feel very divided right now, and in a political climate that often seeks to divide us into narrower tribes that incite tensions through difference rather than unite us around our positives and strengths. It’s also the case that the louder voices are the ones which tend to reach above the noise. I come from a proud place, rich in heritage and ideas but that is often left voiceless. So here is a genuine, real attempt to correct that. Our country is a story that we should all contribute to and tell. We want to hear your vision of the kind of country that would make you proud and the kind of communities you want to live in. I truly hope this National Conversation can be the first serious attempt to map out what vision we share of the future. We need it now more than ever.”
Polling from the British Red Cross shows people are feeling increasingly divided:
- Three quarters of UK adults (75%) believe Britain is divided as a country
- Almost as many (72%) say the country has become more divided over the last five years
- Only around half of adults say they feel comfortable discussing politics (48%), immigration (50%) or global conflicts (49%) with their partner
Melinda Mills, Professor of Demography, Nuffield College, Director Leverhulme Centre for Demographic Science, Oxford Population Health, University of Oxford which has designed the survey, said:
“AI has revolutionised our ability to process huge amounts of data, spot patterns and tell stories. It transforms our ability to conduct mass listening exercises like this and gain real insight from it. Being able to analyse voice notes takes that capability further – capturing the language people choose, the emotional register, the texture of how they actually talk about their communities.
We hope that this National Conversation will build a new kind of national evidence base about what might hold us together.”
Jon Cruddas, Co-chair of the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion and former Labour Policy Coordinator said:
“Rebuilding Britain’s social fabric and sense of community has never been more urgent. But the answers to this don’t lie in Westminster. They lie in communities up and down the country. That’s why the National Conversation is at the heart of how we rebuild a shared vision of our country.”
Taken together, the survey and community conversations aim to provide the clearest picture yet of the state of connection and cohesion across the UK — and where common ground can be found about the country’s future. The Commission’s report, due later this year, will combine this public insight with academic research and a year-long programme of expert testimony and commissioner deliberation.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
The Independent Commission on Community & Cohesion is a once-in-a-generation initiative responding to one of Britain’s greatest challenges: the converging crises of social disconnection and division. The Commission brings together leading voices from across the UK to examine what’s driving these divides – and what needs to change to help build stronger, more connected communities. Its mission is to understand the country’s state of connection and cohesion, and then set out a credible shared vision for how we can live well together – alongside the practical steps needed to make it a reality. The Commission is co-chaired by former Conservative cabinet minister Sir Sajid Javid, and former Labour Policy Coordinator Jon Cruddas, and brings together more than 20 commissioners spanning politics, academia, business, faith and civil society. The insights gathered through the National Conversation will inform a report by the Commission, due to be published in late 2026. That report will combine public insight with academic research and a year-long programme of expert testimony and commissioner deliberation.
More information on the commission and full commissioner list can be found here: www.livingwelltogether.org.uk
The National Conversation runs from 18 May 2026 throughout the summer, closing at the end of August. To take part, or for organisations interested in hosting a Group Conversation, visit: https://www.thenationalconversation.org.uk/
More information on the survey methodology can be found here: https://www.national-conversation.ox.ac.uk/data/pis.html
Media enquiries:
Alice Humphreys, alice@together.org.uk, 07708 310112
Nathan Emmerich – nathan@together.org.uk, 07502 314955
