The conditions for worsening dystopia are quite similar to those in the US in 2019: a well-funded fascist movement, an oligarch-controlled media that gives the fascists free publicity, and a do-nothing centrist party as the largest party opposing the fascists.

A PM could attack Reflux’s foreign funding lines and investigate foreign influence on that party; could also implement Leveson 1 and 2 to put a leash on the corrupt media; and could change its policies to stop aping Reflux’s xenophobia and transphobia and instead actually stand for something. But I don’t believe Burham would do any of those. For example, he’s already made it clear that, rather than sacking the execrable Shabana Mahmoud, he’d promote her. I don’t think he’s all that different from Starmer in terms of policies: just another Blairite or nearly so (OK, so maybe he’s more a Brownite). So far, Burham’s central policy initiative is to roll back failed rail and water privatisations. Not a word about British complicity in the Gaza genocide or the Iran war, nothing about foreign influence on British politics. Not any indication that the draconian crackdown on anti-genocide demonstrators is a bad idea that’s contrary to British values. Just some promises about who will own the trains that don’t show up and the exorbitantly priced water.