Byline Times believe different kinds of conversation are still possible – even now. That when we meet as people, not as labels or opposing tribes, something unexpected and serendipitous can emerge. For May's topic - The Lure of Opposition - the news and current affairs outfit will focus on the seemingly intractable political divisions of our time. Expect thought-provoking conversations you simply won’t hear in the establishment media.

In a polarised landscape of echo chambers and culture war flashpoints, most “debate” generates more heat than light. You’ve seen it on Question Time, or sliced into viral clips on YouTube.

This event will endeavour to move beyond that simplistic, combative dynamic...

Clive Lewis MP joins the conversation, alongside a childhood friend whose politics have taken a very different path. Together with the Byline Times' editorial team, they’ll confront what happens when deep-seated disagreement collides with shared history – and whether today’s left and right can still find any common ground.

Author and Byline Times contributor Otto English also reflects on a close friendship tested by the Brexit divide, offering a candid look at how political rupture plays out on a deeply personal level – shaping identity, belief, and the stories we tell about ourselves and one another.

We’ll also hear from award-winning investigative documentary director Liz Smith who has recorded a special message for us to go with an exclusive clip from The Conspiracists, her latest film examining the pull of conspiratorial thinking in an age of polarisation.

Expect an evening that moves far beyond slogans and tribal lines. A forum to discuss – with your participation – what it means to disagree without disconnecting.

Join Byline Times editor Hardeep Matharu, and co-founders Peter Jukes and Stephen Colegrave to ask: in an age of deep division, is a different kind of conversation still possible?

http://www.bylinetimes.com

Monday 11 May - 7:30pm