Achieving accountable government
Money is key for democratic politics but its abuse is often clearly perceived as a problem by citizens
The maintenance of democracy requires the balancing of various demands, among them economic liberty and democracy. Here, Ferran Martinez i Coma shares research which looks at the way these two demands interplay in campaign finance, with the Electoral Integrity Project producing research which shows the extent to which this and related issues affect citizen confidence in […]
The role of corporations in global governance remains a much overlooked area of study
What role do corporations have in global governance? Christopher May writes that while corporations are often viewed as either the subjects of global governance, or actors that have a particular influence (positive or negative) over setting political agendas, within their extended international supply chains corporations have a significant governance role which is worthy of study […]
Should we be worried about controversial government plans to do away with parent governors in schools?
The government recently announced a series of changes to the oversight and governance of schools, with the most controversial concerning the ‘academisation’ of all English secondary schools, and what may amount to the abolition of the role of the parent governor. Here, Andrew Wilkins casts his eye over the changes – and in particular the […]
Research from Bulgaria shows that in their coverage of elections, the media promote the views of the main contenders
Information presented by the media during election campaign helps voters choose among political contenders and the policy alternatives that they propose. Research, presented here by Petia Kostadinova, on media coverage of election pledges in Bulgaria demonstrates that unlike in established democracies, few of the specific promised made by political parties are reported in the news. Those that […]
The Independent Commission on Freedom of Information shows that there is no going back to the “dark ages” of government opacity
Freedom of Information, since its inception by the previous Labour government, has proven popular with the public and press, but troublesome for the politicians who have to navigate a new and transparent world. Here, Tom Felle, welcomes the findings of the the Independent Commission on Freedom of Information, arguing that its conclusions clearly support the […]
Justifications for the Investigatory Powers Bill are based on a very specific interpretation of freedom
The Investigatory Powers Bill, currently progressing through the Commons, has been defended on the basis that only those with something to hide have anything to fear from the extended surveillance powers. But Nat Rutherford writes that this argument is based on a minimal liberal understanding of freedom, and if we take a broader view, the […]
‘Coupling’ – the relationships between different democratic institutions and practices – needs champions who can make elites think differently
A significant shortcoming in today’s deliberative systems is that citizens are largely disconnected from a host of elite sites of public deliberation. Here, Carolyn Hendricks explores the concept of ‘coupling’ as a means to better link citizens and elites in deliberative systems. Similar PostsAustralian politics shows why the de-separation of political and administrative careers matters for democracyDigital campaigning […]
Disruptive or beneficial? Freedom of information in the UK
On 1 March, to some surprise, the Burns Commission concluded that the Freedom of Information Act was ‘generally working well’. Ben Worthy and Robert Hazell explain how the Commission came to this unexpected result and, drawing on the results three major research projects, argue that since it came into force in 2005 FOI has achieved its […]
How democratically accountable are the UK’s security and intelligence services?
As part of the 2017 Audit of UK Democracy, Sean Kippin and the DA team assess the ways in which the UK’s four main security services are scrutinised, to ensure that they are operating legally and in the public interest. For matters that must be kept secret, ‘compromise’ forms of scrutiny have now been developed in Parliament. […]
Heavy duty: what are the shortcomings of the BBC’s reporting of the EU?
With so much British media coverage of the EU biased, if not actively hostile, the BBC has a heavy responsibility to ensure voters have enough knowledge to make an informed decision on 23 June. Mike Berry analysed BBC reporting of the Lisbon Treaty and EU budget and found it focussed unduly on infighting between Labour and Conservative politicians. […]
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