In his 1994 Demos pamphlet The world’s new fissures, Vince Cable argued that the traditional political dichotomy of Left versus Right was disappearing. Written in the aftermath of the Cold War, he highlighted a new ‘politics of identity’ which had emerged following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In the aftermath of terrorist attacks in London, which have produced deep soul searching about the fundamentals of identity, Cable revisits his earlier pamphlet. A decade on, his original argument has been largely vindicated. Surveying political movements across the globe, he finds few countries unaffected by the new ‘politics of identity’.

Multiple Identities examines the consequences of these new rules of engagement for British politics. It proffers a number of possible scenarios for the future, and the likely impact of the emergence of identity politics for Britain’s three main parties.

It also offers some lessons for policy-makers trying to live with the politics of identity, and the challenges posed by immigration, globalisation, and the growth of supranational government in the form of the European Union.

Cable makes a number of bold policy recommendations, including proposals for a distinctly liberal approach to managing immigration and dealing with the consequences of multiple identity.

Vince Cable is Member of Parliament for Twickenham and Liberal Democrat Shadow Chancellor.