Catherine Needham is writing a D.Phil thesis at Nuffield College, Oxford, on “Citizens or consumers? Citizenship in New Labour’s Britain.” She previously worked for Philip Gould, researching his book The Unfinished Revolution, and has conducted research for David Blunkett MP, the Labour Party and Noreena Hertz.

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The diverse, refreshing voices of Worcester women share a fundamental disillusion with mainstream politics. Yet the project to market politics like a consumer brand can only reinforce this trend, says a scholar and former New Labour policy advisor. Instead, we need empowerment of citizens, communication and better leadership if the bonds of trust are to be restored.