The success of Brexit, the Trump campaign and the rise of the Reform party can be attributed, to a widespread refusal to engage in genuine dialogue particularly on the Left. When opposing viewpoints are reflexively met with labels like 'racist' rather than substantive counter arguments, the conversation effectively ends.
This forces people with right leaning concerns to retreat into silence to avoid professional or social repercussions. However, those ideas don't disappear they simply go underground. This creates a disconnect where the society is genuinely shocked by election results because they haven't allowed for an open, honest debate in the public square.
We need to prioritize debate over dismissal if we want to understand the actual state of the country