Launching the Independent Commission on Community & Cohesion

This week marked an important milestone in the work of the Independent Commission on Community & Cohesion. The McDonald Centre’s Director, Professor Luke Bretherton, joined his fellow Commissioners for the Commission’s very first meeting.

The session focused on the theme of Housing, Place, & Space. At the heart of the discussion was a simple but profound question: what is the relationship between the places we live, the spaces we share, and the strength of our communities? 

This conversation was the starting point for what will be a year-long inquiry into the future of cohesion in the UK. Over the coming months, the Commission will examine the factors that help or hinder our ability to live well together, and it will seek to spark a national conversation about what cohesion looks like in a rapidly changing society.

The launch of this inquiry is both timely and urgent. Questions of belonging, inclusion, and resilience touch every corner of our national life. By engaging with these issues openly and thoughtfully, the Commission hopes to generate fresh insight into how we can strengthen our shared bonds and create spaces where everyone can flourish.