Author Archive: Democratic Audit UK
Government buries its own research – and that’s bad for democracy
Government research can be highly valuable but is costly and time consuming. A new report indicates the government doesn’t keep systematic records of research, and may even delay reporting to avoid political embarrassment or to prevent informed public debate. Kathryn Oliver, who contributed to the study, offers an overview of the findings and their implications. Similar […]
Dark Days for the Tories: The implications of the EU referendum for domestic party politics
The referendum debate has revealed deep fissures in the Conservative Party. Sean Swan considers the different scenarios that might follow the vote, and writes that – in or out – it does not seem likely that the losing side will simply accept the referendum result as the end of the matter. Similar PostsDesperate times and […]
A nation of members: Civic participation through membership in the UK
As Co-operatives UK launches a new report setting out the performance of the UK’s dynamic co-operative sector, its Secretary General, Ed Mayo, looks at what it means to be a member in today’s society. Similar PostsMembership organisations: how to boost numbers and activate engagementHow democratic is the interest group process in the UK?How democratic are […]
How effective is Parliament in controlling UK government and representing citizens?
As part of our 2017 Audit of UK Democracy, Artemis Photiadou and Patrick Dunleavy consider how well the House of Commons functions as a legislature. Is Parliament still an effective focus of national debate and close control of the executive? And how well does the Commons function in scrutinising and passing legislation, or monitoring policy […]
Going, Going, Gone: How Safe is David Cameron?
Last weekend, rumors were once again abound of plots to remove David Cameron as leader. Ben Worthy assesses the Prime Minister’s position in light of the latest threat, and writes that although it appears probable he will survive attempts to topple him in the short-term, the plots, rumours and rebellion will continue. Similar PostsPoliticians haven’t been […]
Let’s stop the last minute registration rush: It’s time for a complete and inclusive electoral register for Britain
As the deadline for registering for the EU referendum looms, Lord Rennard, Toby James and Oliver Sidorczuk highlight the problem with last minute scrambles and argue that the UK should draw on lessons from abroad to achieve a comprehensive electoral register. Credit: Lynn Friedman CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 Similar PostsIt is time for automatic voter registration in […]
The new political divide on both sides of Atlantic: Populists vs cosmopolitans
Varied forms of populism are on the rise on both sides of the Atlantic. Simon Reich writes that this is a result of growing disenchantment which opportunistic politicians have successfully capitalised on, and that the key political divide is no longer between right and left but between cosmopolitans favouring economic globalisation, multiculturalism and integration on […]
Laws born out of trauma: in defence of the EU’s conception of human rights
With both the EU and human rights demonised in public discourse, Catherine Dupré sets out to redeem the concepts from their critics. She argues that the EU’s conception of human rights, as codified in its Charter of Fundamental Rights, defines a set of absolute rights borne out of wartime trauma and transcending the limitations of a conception of […]
Book Review: What Works: Gender Equality By Design by Iris Bohnet
How might we tackle institutionalised gender inequalities? In What Works: Gender Equality by Design, Iris Bohnet advocates systemic interventions focused on de-biasing environments rather than individuals. Employing a behavioural design approach, the book serves both as a clear indication of where we currently stand and a guide as to how, institution by institution, we can nudge ourselves […]
How the major parties will face the EU referendum
Kenneth Bunker looks at the state of the major parties as they head into the EU referendum campaign, and assesses what different results might mean for each of them. Similar PostsLearning the lessons: What other referendums can teach us about the EU voteEuropean elections 2019: what will happen in England’s South East?European elections 2019: what […]
Democratic Audit's core funding is provided by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Additional funding is provided by the London School of Economics.