Achieving accountable government
Book Review: Policy Agendas in British Politics
How do Governments arrive at policy decisions in the United Kingdom? There has been a great deal of commentary on the apparent disconnect between Westminster and voters, with priorities not necessarily shared between the two. This book by Peter John, Anthony Bertelli, Will Jennings and Shaun Bevan, will help illuminate the reader on how these policy agendas […]
Proper parliamentary oversight of the security services is desperately needed
In a recent speech, Lord Macdonald, the former Director of Public Prosecutions, was critical of the current mechanisms which oversee the British security agencies. In the speech, he recommended that the Intelligence and Security Committee become a regular Select Committee of Parliament, with the transparency and autonomy which comes alongside that status. What follows below is an […]
100 things we learned about democracy in 2013: Part four
To mark the end of 2013, Democratic Audit has collected 100 of the most important, surprising and downright disturbing things we have learned about democracy this year. Here is part four of our list, covering everything from Parliamentary select committees to Cornish national identity. Similar Posts100 things we learned about democracy in 2013: Part three […]
100 things we learned about democracy in 2013: Part three
To mark the end of 2013, Democratic Audit has collected 100 of the most important, surprising and downright disturbing things we have learned about democracy this year. Here is part three of our list, covering everything from non-voting lothario Russell Brand to the (financial) value of your vote. Similar Posts100 things we learned about democracy […]
100 things we learned about democracy in 2013: Part two
To mark the end of 2013, Democratic Audit has collected 100 of the most important, surprising and downright disturbing things we have learned about democracy this year. Here is part two of our list, ranging from Australian coups and the expanding Lords to neighbourhood planning and the political impact of a pair of red trousers. […]
100 things we learned about democracy in 2013: Part one
To mark the end of 2013, Democratic Audit has collected 100 of the most important, surprising and downright disturbing things we have learned about democracy this year. Here is part one of our list, ranging from toddlers and tweeting MPs to workplace democracy and the lonely Wigan Tory. Similar Posts100 things we learned about democracy […]
The Brazilian experience shows that voters are more forgiving of incompetence than they are of corruption
Corruption in the UK is perceived as being on the rise, with recent research showing that British citizens are increasingly concerned about the relationship between private financial interests and politicians. But are voters willing to forgive corrupt politicians if they are competent? New research which looks at the Brazilian case by Rebecca Weitz-Shapiro and Matthew S. Winters shows […]
Don’t expect meaningful fiscal devolution for Wales any time soon
The debate about the appropriate level of fiscal autonomy for Wales in the wake of the publication the Silk Commission rumbles on. But while it once looked likely that the Welsh Assembly Government would gain meaningful tax raising and spending powers, the prospects are now less bright. Adam Evans argues that a deadly concoction of political incompetence […]
Book Review: Public Services: A New Reform Agenda
Public Services: A New Reform Agenda, a collection edited by Henry Kippin, Simon Griffiths and Gerry Stoker, brings together some of the UK’s leading public policy experts to explore the long-term challenges facing public services. Janet Newman welcomes the book’s focus on the need for a new public services settlement and detailed empirical evidence on […]
For lobbyists, money doesn’t buy policy, but it can buy things that help achieve policy goals
One of the most common critiques of the lobbying of government and legislators by interest groups is that the more money organisations have the more influence they are able to ‘buy’. Using one of the largest surveys of lobbyists ever conducted Amy McKay investigates this claim, and looks at the success of lobbyists based on various factors, […]
Democratic Audit's core funding is provided by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Additional funding is provided by the London School of Economics.