The chair of Compass Neal Lawson and local academic Graham Smith will be speaking at the launch of the Salisbury branch of Compass on Thursday 2 March at The Boathouse in Millstream Approach from 7.30pm.

A regular writer for the Guardian and the New Statesman, Neal has long believed that politics needs a new way of thinking, organising and being. Neal will be speaking on the role of Compass in making this possible.

Graham, who lives in Salisbury, joined the University of Westminster in 2012 as Professor of Politics in the Centre for the Study of Democracy. He will be speaking in response to the growth of anti-politics and whether it is possible to do democracy differently, in the context of the apparent break down of democratic practice and culture during Brexit and the US election – and the failure to respond to pressing issues like climate change.

Dick Bellringer, who started Salisbury Compass last year, said: “We are delighted that Neal and Graham have agreed to help launch our group. In a world where elections seem to dominated by misleading information and downright lies it has never been more urgent to evaluate our democratic beliefs.”

“For Compass in Salisbury this is only the beginning. We have other events planned for the year ahead including a regular Democracy Café in Salisbury Arts Centre.”

For more information contact Dick Bellringer on 01722 323453 or email bellringer11@btinternet.com or visit www.salisburycompass.org or www.compassonline.org.uk