Informing and engaging citizens
Corbyn’s reshuffle was unnecessary, protracted, and botched – but it may not make any difference
Jeremy Corbyn’s first reshuffle as Leader of the Labour Party has been met with a diverse array of reactions, with some describing his marginalisation of those who had been critical of his leadership as “revenge”, while others assert his right to choose whichever team likes. Here, Alun Wyburn-Powell uses reshuffle to pursue a broader debate […]
Government and ‘independent expertise’: think tanks represent a blind spot for critical analysis
Drawing on recent research about UK think tanks, austerity and social policy, Hartwig Pautz and Elke Heins examine the relationship between government and the world of ‘independent expertise’. Focusing on one example, the Centre for Social Justice’s influence over Conservative ministers’ social policies, they find that some relationships are often very close. The public commentary provided by non-independent think tanks […]
Granting a free vote on the EU referendum could see Cameron keep the peace within his party
David Cameron has announced that he will grant the members of his cabinet the right to campaign against Britain’s continued EU membership when the question of whether to stay or remain is put to Britain’s voters. Here, Eunice Goes argues that while the decision may not have been an easy one, it could see him […]
Whether Britain stays in the EU or not, there’s a democratic deficit that must be addressed
With a New Year and the holiday season coming to an end, the EU referendum campaign is heating up. Josiah Mortimer writes that since our membership of European Union is a crucial constitutional issue, there’s one issue that can’t be ignored: democracy. Similar PostsBook review: Slippery Slope: Europe’s Troubled Future, by Giles MerrittOpen Letter to […]
‘Emotive nationalism’ does not explain Scotland’s young ‘Yes’ voters
The independence referendum of 2014 granted 16 and 17 year old Scots the right to vote in a nationwide contest for the first time, with the increased political engagement of young people proving to be one of the key positives to come out of the election. Here, Maddie Breeze, Hugo Gorringe, Lynn Jamieson and Michael Rosie look at […]
As space for civil society closes, donors and civil society leaders are realising they cannot take public support for granted
Civil society groups play a key role in our democracy, lobbying governments for better legislation in their areas of operation, often while improving conditions themselves through direct action on the ground. Shannon N. Green argues that with the space for civil society becoming smaller worldwide due to government action, civil society groups and those associated […]
Five minutes with Charles Taylor: “In order to make ourselves safe we need to resist stigmatising sections of the population”
In December, the Canadian philosopher Professor Charles Taylor gave a lecture at LSE entitled Democracy, Diversity, Religion. During his visit, Democratic Audit’s Sonali Campion spoke to him about democracy’s inbuilt weaknesses, and how European governments need to resist veering towards exclusion in responding to the challenges posed by the Paris attacks and ISIS. Professor Charles Taylor speaking at […]
The nonreligious are a hidden majority in Britain
Filling out all sorts of forms often and increasingly includes the disclosure of faith, under which the option ‘none’ frequently appears. Yet it is unclear how homogenous the beliefs of those who comprise the category are, while the term ‘nonreligious’ is often equated with established atheist views. Lois Lee explains that this lack of understanding […]
Elections to the NHS show that online voting is still in its infancy
The 1997-2010 Labour government introduced elections to certain authorities which oversee the National Health Service. Some of these elections now take place online, with ballots cast digitally. The Speaker’s Commission on Digital Democracy recommended last year that digital voting be expanded to UK general elections in order to help foster a climate of improved engagement. […]
No more ‘Welsh effect’? Why the EU may be becoming a scapegoat in Wales
It used to be that case that Wales was distinguished by the strength of the Labour vote and the presence of the Welsh nationalist vote. Today, however, the conditions are perfect for Wales to be completely absorbed into the British mainstream, explains Daniel Evans. And this means that chances are high that Wales will vote for a departure […]
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