England: seven myths that changed a country – and how to set them straight

A talk by Tom Baldwin and Marc Stears about their new book, England: Seven Myths That Changed a Country – and How to Set Them Straight.

In an election year, there will once again be efforts to over-inflate myths about England that block out the daylight needed in our politics. Some politicians will talk of restoring an English birthright of liberty or the swashbuckling self-confidence to rule the waves. Others will yearn for the old-fashioned morality with which, they claim, England once civilised a savage world. Still will more look inwards to a story of an enchanted island that can stand alone and isolated against the world. But England - written by Tom Baldwin, the best-selling author of Keir Starmer's biography, and Marc Stears, influential think tank head - unravels seven myths that have provided so much ammunition for charlatans or culture warriors from both left and right. Instead of vainly promising to solve everything all at once, Baldwin and Stears provide clues for how a humbler, less grandiose, set of ideas rooted in real lives can help fix some of the things that have gone so badly wrong in recent years.

Meet our speaker and chair

Tom Baldwin (@TomBaldwin66) is a political writer who worked in Westminster and Washington for The Times before becoming director of communications for the Labour Party. He is the author of several books and is the biographer of Keir Starmer.

Marc Stears (@mds49) is the inaugural Director of the UCL Policy Lab. Marc has previously been Director of the Sydney Policy Lab at the University of Sydney, CEO of the New Economics Foundation, Professor of political theory at the University of Oxford and chief speechwriter to the UK Labour Party. He is the author of several books from the world’s leading presses, including Out of the Ordinary. 

Tony Travers is a Visiting Professor in the Department of Government at LSE and Director of LSE London.

More about this event

This event will be available to watch on LSE Live. LSE Live is the new home for our live streams, allowing you to tune in and join the global debate at LSE, wherever you are in the world. If you can't attend live, a video will be made available shortly afterwards on LSE's YouTube channel.

The Department of Government (@LSEGovernment) is a world-leading centre for study and research in politics and government.

Hashtag for this event: #LSEEngland