David Goodhart on Starmer and the Somewheres

David Goodhart has just written a long article in the Times, in the form of a "mirrors for princes" disquisition on the main political divide in the UK. Goodhart is himself principally responsible for developing and popularising the idea of a "Somewheres" vs "Anywheres" polarity in the UK, and the phenomenon seems to obtain in some other polities, so it's of broader relevance than just Britain.

I've long been a fan of Goodhart, and have been lucky enough to meet him a few times, including over dinner. His essay covers a lot of ground in its 2300 words, and to do it justice will require a handful of posts, which I hope to complete over the next week or two. The point of departure is the Labour government's recent announcement of changes in immigration policy, but Goodhart takes it to legitimacy of social democracy and the British state itself.

So bear with me as I digest it and produce my own commentary in response.