Hansard Society

Is Scottish Society fairly reflected in Holyrood? - 8 October 2008

admin — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:08:00 GMT

Channel 4/Hansard Society fringe meeting at SNP conference

Saturday October 18

12.30-1.30pm at the Royal George Hotel, Perth

People Like Us: Is Scottish Society fairly reflected in Holyrood?

Chair: Joyce McMillan (The Scotsman)

An expert panel - Angela O'Hagen (Equalities and Human Rights Commission), Michael Russell MSP (SNP Minister for Environment), Emma Wilson (Channel 4 News) Humza Yousaf (Convenor of Young Asian Scots for Independence) - will be considering the composition of the Scottish Parliament and why so many of our representatives come from such a narrow section of the population.

For further information, contact Emma Megaughin at the Hansard Society on 0131 243 2750 or hansard.scotland@hansard.lse.ac.uk

Editors' Notes

The Hansard Society is an independent, non-partisan educational charity. We aim to strengthen parliamentary democracy and encourage greater public involvement in politics.
Hansard Society Scotland provides a new independent and non-partisan platform in Scotland to consider issues relating to the Scottish Parliament and the implications and lessons for other parts of UK parliamentary democracy.

People Like Us: Is British Society fairly reflected in Parliament? Party Conferences Autumn 2008

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:54:00 GMT

Channel 4/the Hansard Society have had an extremely succesful series of events at the Autumn 2008 party political conferences. We had lots of high profile speakers, the debates were of a very high quality and there was some controversial moments! We recorded all 3 meetings, click on the links to listen. Photographs will follow shortly.

Liberal Democrats: Chair Katie Razzall (Channel 4 News), Speakers Lord Dhlokia, Chris Huhne MP, Simon Hughes MP, Lembit Opik MP, Jo Swinson MP.

Liberal Democrat Fringe Event Part 1

Liberal Democrats Fringe Event Part 2

Liberal Democrat Fringe Event Part 3

Labour: Chair Krishnan Guru-Murthy (Channel 4 News), Speakers Dawn Butler MP, Harriet Harman MP, Shahid Malik MP, Peter Oborne (Channel 4 Dispatches), Lord Soley.

Labour Fringe Event Part 1

Labour Fringe Event Part 2

Labour Fringe Event Part 3

Conservative: Chair Katie Razzall (Channel 4 News), Speakers Iain Dale (Total Politics), Julie Kirkbride MP, Eleanor Laing MP, Theresa Map MP, Baroness Warsi.

Conservatives Fringe Event Part 1

Conservatives Fringe Event Part 2

Conservatives Fringe Event Part 3

Rebuilding engagement requires motivation, access and trust

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:30:00 GMT

The Governance of Britain review is about "renewing the relationships that we have with each other as citizens and with the Government". This necessarily involves consideration of the mechanisms of citizen engagement and it is hard to imagine anyone brave enough to argue that these are currently in a health state.

If the challenge is to engage (or re-engage) the democratically distant and disinterested then we must consider the nature of engagement; for what purpose and at what stage of the policy/legislative cycle is government engaging? What expectations exist on the part of both government around levels of engagement - both qualitative and quantitative. Realistically, what can we actually expect of citizens who are time-poor and have more immediate concerns about their own and their families day to day lives?

There are many factors impeding effective engagement. Some of these are short term, others are not and require a more strategic and long-term approach to resolve. If greater citizen engagement is a pre-requisite for a more democratic society, then the barriers must be overcome and the degree to which this happens will determine in part at least the degree to which democracy can be revitalised.

For many, engagement often starts with something issues-based and close to home. The reality is that by-and-large people are more interested in what directly affects them and their neighbours than in the macro issues - local issues are real! A positive experience here can and does lead some to feel motivated to further engagement (and vice-versa!). Effort concentrated on making local consultations effective will pay dividends for engagement at higher levels.

Second, trust is a key factor. Research shows that citizens do not trust politicians and feel disconnected from the policy loop. Without trust, constructive engagement is difficult if not impossible. Re-building trust is not a short term matter but it would be helped by an attitude of openness and accountability in engagement and by government being able to demonstrate that engagement leads to results. Hansard Society research on online engagement shows that openness and clarity are vital to a successful outcome (www.digitaldialogues.org.uk).

This leads to a third consideration of the barriers that prevent effective engagement taking place. Time and space are clear, but our own research (Hansard Society's 4^th Audit of Political Engagement) shows also that there is a worrying trend whereby many 'ordinary citizens' do not feel that they are qualified to take part. This is concerning and perhaps the result of a rise of the technocratic elite. Despite pro-engagement rhetoric governments actually value expert opinion above those of citizens. In some instances, citizens can in fact be seen as problematic by government and this does not motivate people to get involved.

Solutions lie in many areas: a cultural shift within government such that the views of citizens are not only sought but valued and given equal status, secondly the removal (or reduction) of barriers through the use of new digital media to promote any time, any place engagement alongside (not instead of) traditional face-to-face engagement tools. For this to occur democratically there must also be a requirement on government to overcome the digital deficit that is creating an underclass and further disadvantaging those who are already the most disadvantaged in our society (and the least likely to partake in democracy).

Consider also that outmoded models of governance look stale and out of touch in the digital age, where content is user-generated and viral networks are more effective than top-down control. In this age, engagement might not start with government and government needs to be equally comfortable following as well as leading.

Holding all of the above together and making it possible (in this simplistic version at least), is the long-term need to promote education, not only in democratic processes, values and engagement but also in information literacy so that all citizens can be active and informed participants in their own futures.

Andy Williamson
Director, eDemocracy Programme
a[.]williamson[@]hansard[.]lse[.]ac[.]uk

Hansard Society at 2008 SNP Conference

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 09:29:00 GMT

People Like Us: Is Scottish Society fairly reflected in Holyrood?

Saturday 18 October, 12.30-1.30pm, at the Royal George Hotel in Perth.

Speakers: Angela O'Hagen (Equalities and Human Rights Commission), Michael Russell MSP (SNP Minister for Environment), Emma Wilson (Channel 4 News) Humza Yousaf (Convenor of Young Asian Scots for Independence).

Chair: Joyce McMillan (The Scotsman)

Food and refreshments provided.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR THIS MEETING

What do under-18s think about Immigration? - 19 September 2008

admin — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:13:00 GMT

Young people debate immigration with legislators

Follow the online debate at http://www.headsup.org.uk/

Under-18s are tackling a variety of immigration issues in a secure and structured online debate, organised by the Hansard Society. Immigration and the UK will run from 29 September - 17 October, 2008 at http://www.headsup.org.uk/

HeadsUp offers the chance for 11-18 year olds to share their views on immigration and asylum with key decision makers and other young people in a safe and constructive environment. It's an opportunity for young people to tell politicians what they think, as well as developing political literacy and creative thinking skills.

The young people in the forum will be discussing the issues around these key questions:

How has the free movement of people in Europe affected the UK?
What effect does immigration have on British communities?
Are the new British citizenship tests useful to teach immigrants the things they need to know about the UK?
Can our public services cope with the demands of more people?
Is it right for the UK to take skilled workers from poorer countries that might need them more?

Legislators and decision-makers involved in the forum:

Damian Green MP, Shadow Minister of State for Immigration for the Conservatives
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer, Spokesperson for Home Affairs for the Liberal Democrats
Lord Roberts of Llandudno, Spokesperson for International Development for the Liberal Democrats
Jean Lambert MEP, Green Party
Lord Lester of Herne Hill, Member, Joint Committee on Human Rights
Douglas Carswell MP, Member, Joint Committee on Human Rights

Beccy Allen, HeadsUp Manager, commented: ‘A recent Ipsos MORI poll found that 11 per cent of the people asked rated immigration/race relations as the most important issue facing Britain today. A quarter in the survey said it was one of the most important issues facing Britain today. We want to give young people the opportunity to consider the issues carefully and debate them with decision-makers and legislators.'

For more information contact Virginia Gibbons, Communications Manager at the Hansard Society on 0207 438 1225 or 07812 765 552.

Editors' Notes

HeadsUp (http://www.headsup.org.uk/) is an innovative website where under-18s debate political issues and processes. The site is a non-partisan, cross-party educational resource that provides a secure, structured and student-centred discussion platform.
HeadsUp has a number of new features for 2008/09 including a Top Poster Award where the HeadsUp user judged to have the greatest impact on the forum can win a prize of £25 worth of gift vouchers from a range of high street and online shops.
Two ways to register to participate in HeadsUp:

Young People - If you are under 18 and want to get in on the action you need to complete the Student Sign Up Form.
Teachers/youth workers/youth group - can register a whole class/school year/group by completing our Teachers Registration Form.

All HeadsUp forums are open to view and follow the debate. Participants need to register or login to post comments.
The project is jointly funded by the Ministry of Justice (former DCA) and the House of Commons.
At the end of the debate, a summary report detailing young people's contributions will be distributed to relevant government ministers, MPs, AMs, MEPS, MSPs and selected all-party groups in Parliament.
4785 individuals are currently registered with HeadsUp.

No Politics Please...We're Women!

admin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 12:00:00 GMT

The Hansard Society is hosting a Women & the Vote event on Tuesday 14 October at 6.30pm in the House of Commons entitled 'No Politics Please...We're Women''. The purpose of this event is to discuss issues around women's interest and involvement in politics. The event will launch a new briefing based on original Hansard Society research about women's attitudes to politics.

This event is part of the Women and the Vote 2008 campaign, a coalition of civil society organisations, including the Hansard Society, that have come together to mark the 80^th and 90^th anniversaries of women's suffrage in Britain. The aim is to put the issue of women in politics back at the top of the political agenda.

Chair: Dr Sarah Childs (Bristol University)

Speakers: Lee Chalmers (the Downing Street Project), Dr Jonathan Dean (LSE), Helen Goodman MP (Government Whip), Ros Taylor (The Guardian).

More speakers to be announced.

HeadsUp Forum::Immigration and the UK - 29 September - 17 October

admin — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:12:00 GMT

Immigration is an issue that is often high up on the list of priorities for people in the UK. In the most recent survey carried out by polling company Ipsos MORI 11% of the people asked rated immigration/race relations as the most important issue facing Britain today. A quarter in the survery said it was one of the most important issues facing Britain today.

HeadsUp offers the chance for 11-18 year olds to share their views on immigration and asylum with key decision makers and other young people in a safe and constructive environment. It's an opportunity for young people to tell politicians what they think, as well as developing political literacy and creative thinking skills.

The young people in the forum will be discussing the issues around these key questions:

The free movement of people in Europe - how has it affected Britain? Is the free movement of people within Europe a good idea?

What effect does immigration have on British communities? Do you think the new British citizenship tests are useful to teach immigrants the things they need to know about the UK?

Can our public services cope with the demands of more people? Is it right for the UK to take skilled workers from poorer countries that might need them more?

The forum has attracted the interest and involvement of the following legislators and decision-makers:

Damian Green MP, Shadow Minister of State for Immigration for the Conservatives
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer, Spokesperson for Home Affairs for the Liberal Democrats
Lord Roberts of Llandudno, Spokesperson for International Development for the Liberal Democrats
Jean Lambert MEP, Green Party
Lord Lester of Herne Hill, Member, Joint Committee on Human Rights
Douglas Carswell MP, Member, Joint Committee on Human Rights

HeadsUp also has a number of new features for 2008/09 including a Top Poster Award where the HeadsUp user judged to have the greatest impact on the forum can win a prize of £25 worth of gift vouchers from a range of high street and online shops.

Hansard Society at 2008 SNP Conference

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 14:57:00 GMT

People Like Us: Is Scottish Society fairly reflected in Holyrood?

The Hansard Society is collaborating with Channel 4 for this year's fringe meeting at the SNP Conference.

The event will take place on Saturday 18th October, 12.30-1.30pm, at the Royal George Hotel in Perth. The event will be chaired by Joyce McMillan of the Scotsman.

Food and refreshments provided.

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR THIS MEETING.

If you would like to attend this event, please click here

Waste Reduction - What they said, what you said...

admin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:53:00 GMT

The House of Lords recently published a report on waste reduction and, thanks to the What a Waste! competition, so did young people. Young people who took part in the competition received a response to their report from Lord O'Neill of Clackmannan, Chairman of the Science and Technology Sub-Committee.

There were big differences and real similarities between the recommendations made by young people and the House of Lords Sub-Committee:

Education was a key theme in both, but whilst young people focussed on schools and peer education, the House of Lords talked about educating designers and the public.
Innovation was another big theme - many young people felt that community centred social enterprise would help, whereas the House of Lords recommended business innovation.
Both young people and the House of Lords said that more could and should be done. In particular, both reports recognised the need for government support to encourage businesses and consumers to reduce waste.

About the competition and the reports...
The House of Lords Sub-Committee on Waste Reduction has been examining how the amount of waste produced in the UK can be reduced and their final report was published in August 2008. Through the What a Waste! competition, 11 - 18 year olds were able to submit their views to the Sub-Committee in creative ways. The excellent ideas received were summarised into the What a Waste! competition report and recommendations were made.

The young people's competition can be donwloaded here : What a Waste! Competition Report.pdf

The House of Lords Science and Technology Sub Committee Report is available here.

Engaging online: Getting citizens back to the centre of democracy

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:23:00 GMT

"There is an increasing desire amongst governments to engage with citizens and many are pointing to the internet as a tool for managing this engagement. The Hansard Society has undertaken extensive research to identify what forms of online engagement are effective and when. In this event an invited panel will explore the different characteristics of online engagement, focusing not simply on the technology but also discussing the impact of organizational culture and the broader context of citizen disenfranchisement."

Wednesday 29 October, 6-8pm, Scottish Parliament.

A free seminar to discuss eDemocracy in Scotland.

Speakers will be Dr Laura Miller (Senior Researcher, eDemocracy Programme, Hansard Society), Navraj Singh Ghaleigh (Lecturer in Public Law, University of Edinburgh), Aileen Campbell MSP (Scottish National Party MSP for South of Scotland), Fergus Cochrane (Clerk to the Public Petitions Committee, Scottish Parliament).

For queries about this event please contact Emma at hansard.scotland@hansard.lse.ac.uk or on 0131 243 2750 or click here to attend

Engaging online: Getting citizens back to the centre of democracy

admin — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 09:01:00 GMT

Wednesday 29 October, 6-8pm, Scottish Parliament.

A free seminar to discuss eDemocracy in Scotland.

For queries about this event please contact Emma at hansard.scotland@hansard.lse.ac.uk or on 0131 243 2750.

This event is open to all - click here to attend

Lords of the Blog reviewed in the Birmingham Post

admin — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 11:22:00 GMT

The Birmingham Post has given The Lords of the Blog an excellent review on its website. They say:

"The Lords of the Blog is a blog written by a team of Lords, and it’s surprisingly good.

The Lords has an unfair reputation as a somewhat sedate, sleepy place, and if you asked people in your local pub, none of them would expect any Lords to be writing a blog. Especially not a good one.

The posts appear frequently, they are interesting and informative and sometimes quite funny.

Better yet, people are reading and posting comments. And that is what the site is all about. Supported in part by the Hansard Society, the blog is supposed to help ordinary people like you and I better understand what the Lords is for, and what work it does. The aim is to ditch some of the stereotypical myths and show the public what it’s really like."

Read the review in full on the Birmingham Post website in the Business News section.

People Like Us: Is British Society fairly reflected in Parliament? - 26 August 2008

admin — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:55:00 GMT

Hansard Society/Channel 4 joint fringe meetings at this year's party conferences

Liberal Democrats

Monday September 15, 6.15pm at the Bourne Hall Hotel, Priory Road, Bournemouth

Speakers: Lord Dhlokia, Chris Huhne MP, Simon Hughes MP, Lembit Opik MP, Jo Swinson MP. Chair: Katie Razzall, Channel 4 News

Labour

Monday September 22, 6pm at Jury's Inn, Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester

Speakers: Dawn Butler MP, Harriet Harman MP, Shahid Malik MP, Peter Oborne (Channel 4 Dispatches), Lord Soley (ex- Chair, PLP). Chair: Faisal Islam, Channel 4 News

Conservatives

Tuesday September 30, 6.30pm at the Copthorne Hotel, Paradise Circus Birmingham

Speakers: Iain Dale (Total Politics), Julie Kirkbride MP, Eleanor Laing MP, Theresa May MP, Baroness Warsi. Chair: Katie Razzall, Channel 4 News

People Like Us: Is British Society fairly reflected in Parliament? asks the questions:

How representative is ‘representative democracy'?
Do we need to be represented by ‘people like us'?
Given the demographic make-up of the country, why are so many MPs from a narrow section of the population?
Why are women under-represented in Parliament? What puts them off? What can be done?
Where are the ethnic minority MPs? Are we making the most of the advantages of having such a diverse population?
Should we be encouraging younger people to stand as MPs? Should we reduce the voting age or the age at which people can stand for Parliament?

For further information, contact Virginia Gibbons at the Hansard Society on

020 7438 1225 or 07812 765 552 or mediaprog@hansard.lse.ac.uk

Recess negative: it's not perfect, but the portrayal of parliament as a government puppet bears little resemblance to reality

admin — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 10:17:00 GMT

An article by Susanna Kalitowski, Research Fellow on the Hansard Society's Parliament & Government Programme, originally published on Comment is Free

The 11-week parliamentary recess is now under way, amid the familiar annual charges of laziness and waste. Some MPs argue that the break provides valuable time to catch up on important constituency work. Others, like John Redwood, disagree. Most political insiders seem to think it is too long.

But do we really care whether MPs are sitting at Westminster anyhow? Many believe the mother of parliaments no longer makes much of an impact and that it simply serves to rubber-stamp the government's proposals. Even Gordon Brown waded into the debate over parliament's effectiveness in a recent interview in which he derided the institution for spending the majority of its time debating "minor clauses of minor sections of minor bills" instead of "the big issues of our time" such as climate change and terrorism.

Parliament does spend a fair amount of time examining the PM's legislation - roughly a third of overall Commons' sitting time and more than half of time in the Lords - including bills this session on climate change and terrorism. This is hardly a surprise, as parliament's primary and best-known function is to make laws that affect all of us on a daily basis, regardless of whether they are "major" or "minor". And although the overwhelming majority of legislation is drawn up by the government, it is parliament alone that has the power to pass, amend and even repeal them.

Moreover, the portrayal of parliament as puppet bears little resemblance to reality. If nothing changed between the day that a bill left a government department and the day the Queen gave her assent, then that would indeed be an indictment of parliament and the legislative process. Thankfully, this is far from the case. Parliamentary scrutiny does make a significant difference to the content of legislation. In fact, thanks to the increase over the past decade in public consultation, the publication of draft bills and backbench rebellions - and a second chamber in which no single party enjoys a majority - more changes are made to bills now than in the past. Sometimes this change is dramatic - as in the case of the legislative and regulatory reform bill, which the government was forced to re-write in order to get it through the Commons. Usually, however, it is in small but significant ways. For example, during parliament's scrutiny of the immigration, asylum and nationality bill, the government was pressured to preserve appeal rights for visitors to the UK who seek to vary the terms of their visas.

Nonetheless, the law-making process remains far from perfect and lack of time remains a central part of the problem. This, coupled with the sheer volume of legislation - and its increasing complexity - makes it difficult for parliament to carry out one of its key tasks to its fullest potential.

Parliamentary time is precious. Therefore a shorter recess or a return to the ill-fated September sittings might be welcome. At the very least, parliament and government should explore further ways of using the existing parliamentary time more efficiently.

Law in the Making: Influence and Change in the Legislative Process by Alex Brazier, Susanna Kalitowski and Gemma Rosenblatt, with Matt Korris, was recently published by the Hansard Society

This article was originally published on Comment is Free on 17 August 2008.

Political Studies Association/Hansard Society Annual Lecture

admin — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:26:00 GMT

The 2008 lecture will be given by

Rt Hon Clare Short MP

Making Politics Fit For Purpose

Wednesday 29 October, 6.30pm, Westminster

This lecture is free and open to all - registration essential

Government must take risks to achieve successful online engagement, says new Hansard Society report

admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:10:00 GMT

Digital Dialogues Third Phase Report: August 2007 - August 2008

An independent review into the use of online technologies to enhance engagement between central government and the public.

Digital Dialogues 3, a new report from the Hansard Society, shows that government can successfully use the internet to engage, consult and build public trust - providing it follows a few simple rules:

* Government departments must be adaptable and willing to take risks;

* Transparency and timely feedback to participants is essential;

* Government departments must be clear about the purpose of the consultation and the ways that participants' contributions will be used;

* The right people - ministers and senior policy makers - must be involved;

* Evaluation is essential to ensure that departments learn and improve on the basis of experience.

For more information, click here

Digital Dialogues Third Phase Report: August 2007 - August 2008

admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:43:00 GMT

Digital Dialogues Third Phase Report: August 2007 - August 2008 by Laura Miller and Andy Williamson

Free download Full report (PDF 3MB)

Free download Executive Summary

Digital Dialogues is an independent review into the use of online technologies to enhance engagement between central government and the public.

Digital Dialogues 3 focuses on seven case studies (including the Office of the Prime Minister and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office) that highlight the factors that help and hinder online engagement. The report finds that many government departments remain wary of using the internet to engage because it is new and unfamiliar. While some parts of government are willing to use an experimental and adaptable approach to online engagement, others were paralysed by a sense of risk leading to disappointment, disengagement and increased public distrust.

Digital Dialogues was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice.

Government must take risks to achieve successful online engagement, says new Hansard Society report - 12 August, 2008

admin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:25:00 GMT

http://www.digitaldialogues.org.uk/

Government departments must be adaptable and willing to take risks
Transparency and timely feedback to participants is essential
Government departments must be clear about the purpose of the consultation and the ways that participants' contributions will be used
The right people - ministers and senior policy makers - must be involved
Evaluation is essential to ensure that departments learn and improve on the basis of experience.

Andy Williamson, Director of the eDemocracy programme at the Hansard Society and co-author of the report commented: ‘This report highlights how to make online engagement work by providing simple to follow guidelines for good practice engagement. I hope it will allay some of the fears and concerns and encourage more government departments to take up the online challenge.'

Justice Minister Michael Wills said: ‘Online engagement presents exciting possibilities for citizens to talk to government. Through the Digital Dialogues programme we explore these possibilities and encourage officials to try new engagement methods. I hope this report will encourage good online practice and promote greater public participation in discussions of policy.'

For further information, contact Virginia Gibbons at the Hansard Society on

020 7438 1225 or 07812 765 552 or mediaprog@hansard.lse.ac.uk

Editor's Notes

Digital Dialogues is an independent review of ways in which central government can use new technologies to promote public engagement and democratic renewal. Running since 2005 and incorporating 25 case studies it was commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and carried out by Hansard Society.
The third report is available in full at http://www.digitaldialogues.org.uk (as are the reports for phases 1 and 2). The seven case studies examined in Digital Dialogues 3 are:

Office of Children's Commissioner
Department for Work and Pensions
Office of National Statistics
Office of the Prime Minister (10 Downing Street)
Food Standards Agency
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Sustainable Development Commission

The Hansard Society is an independent, non-partisan charity that operates across the political spectrum to support the democratic process and improve the relationship between the public, elected representatives and political institutions. We carry out an intensive programme of work aimed at enhancing engagement in civic and political life. The value of our resources, action research, on- and offline projects and events is recognised by representatives of all political parties, the business community, the voluntary sector and communities across the UK and overseas. More at http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/
Established in 1997, the eDemocracy Programme was the first dedicated research unit to explore the political and social impact of information and communications technology (ICT). Today, we undertake research and evaluation and produce expert commentary and analysis. Our current programme of work explores the many faces of digital participation, engagement, political campaigning and parliamentary process.

Third Digital Dialogues report released

admin — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 10:13:00 GMT

Digital Dialogues is an independent review into the use of online technologies to enhance engagement between central government and the public.This third report in the Digital Dialogues series from the Hansard Society shows that government can successfully use the internet to engage, consult and build public trust - providing it follows a few simple rules:

- Government departments must be adaptable and willing to take risks;
- Transparency and timely feedback to participants is essential;
- Government departments must be clear about the purpose of the consultation and the ways that participants' contributions will be used;
- The right people - ministers and senior policy makers - must be involved;
- Evaluation is essential to ensure that departments learn and improve on the basis of experience.

For more information and to read or download a copy of the Digital Dialogues report, click here

Not the Obama Girl!

admin — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 13:31:00 GMT

The No. 10 website’s latest initiative – Number10TV - has been criticised by the press before it has even been re-launched. The basic premise is that it is a publicity stunt – designed to shore up Gordon Brown’s appeal rather than to engage citizens in any meaningful way.

Newsnight carried the story in its programme last night (I was a talking head – it can be downloaded via the previous link), suggesting that even when British politicians use new technologies, they don’t do as well as their American counterparts.

Is this true? Our ongoing research suggests not. While candidates in the US Presidential elections may have launched sophisticated online campaigns, there is little evidence that they will engage the public after the elections. They may seem more vibrant than their UK counterparts, but vast sums are spent (and raised) to make them so! And the media coverage of their online campaigns is – in the main – exceedingly positive.

This isn't the case when British politicians use new technologies to connect with their constituents. These go unnoticed by the media but in our evaluations of governmental and Parliamentary forms of online engagement, we note that the public responds well to initiatives taken by MPs, ministers and government officials so long as politicians do more than broadcast themselves online.

A clear picture emerges from our research; the public wants to engage with politicians; particularly, they want to participate in initiatives that tie in with policy processes and which deliver clear outcomes. Citizens – egged on by the media - may be momentarily seduced by publicity stunts, and may enjoy viral campaigns and political jokes but the future of online politics looks bleak unless some real progress is made in developing deliberative forms of engagement which ensure that their voice is heard and responded to in meaningful ways.

Laura Miller, Senior Researcher, eDemocracy.

l [dot] miller [at] hansard [dot] lse [dot] ac [dot] uk

Political blogging - just for the Opposition?

admin — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:36:00 GMT

A recent article in the Guardian reported that New Statesman co-owner Mike Danson has invested in LabourHome. His aim is to mobilise grass roots activism on the left which, until now, has not managed to gain the kind of online traction that popular rightwing/anti-establishment blogs such as Iain Dale, ConservativeHome and Guido Fawkes have achieved. Is this a new media specific problem? Are the left failing to get to grips with online technology? Is this about the Labour grassroots feeling that the party leadership aren’t listening so there is little point in blogging, or is it a more general lack of appetite for political campaigning amongst Labour activitists?

After three terms of a Labour government are leftwing bloggers suffering from ideological fatigue – is there anything more to say? If the Labour grassroots aren’t talking to themselves how can they begin to provide a coherent and united set of policies to present to the electorate in future elections?

Perhaps, the state of leftwing blogging is more to do with the current political context. Grassroots activity and the ability to listen to your core membership would seem to be much more crucial when a party is at a reforming and storming stage. At present, the Conservatives are a hive of activity, putting together policies with which to fight the next election. They sense their best chance of victory in a decade and it’s always easier to define what you are against than what you are for. Responding to, or being seen to sympathise with, public opinion is also easier in opposition as it doesn’t often require much more than words.

It will certainly be interesting to see what happens with rightwing blogs if there is a change of government at the next election. If this happens, will Labour activists step up their game, finally having something to rail against?

It would appear to be a lot easier to run a successful blog in opposition than when your party is in government. It is harder still when your party is an unpopular government. Talking up those in power doesn’t seem to be a successful recipe to attract readers, viewers or listeners.

If the blog is a tool most successfully used in opposition then it will be interesting to see what impact the injection of new capital, resources and energy into LabourHome has on its popularity and reach. It would appear to have an up-hill battle on its hands.

Beccy Allen, Researcher, eDemocracy Programme

Your Parliament: Make it work for you

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 11:29:00 GMT

Your Parliament explains the basics of the British political system: the work of Parliament, the role of MPs and peers, and how laws are made. It also describes how to get involved: through voting, contacting your MP or visiting the Houses of Parliament.

The Your Parliament pamphlet provides clear, straightforward explanations on questions such as:

What is Parliament? How is the UK run?
Who are MPs and peers? What do they do?
What are political parties?
How do I vote?
How are new laws made?
What goes on in Parliament?
Why should I get involved?
How can I get involved or find out more?

Your Parliament is part of the Hansard Society's ongoing work to inform and educate the public on the workings of Parliament and the political system. It is revised and updated from the 2004 version, and is published jointly with the Houses of Parliament.

To download a free copy of Your Parliament, click here.

Your Parliament: make it work for you

admin — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:22:00 GMT

The Your Parliament pamphlet provides clear, straightforward explanations on questions such as:

What is Parliament? How is the UK run?
Who are MPs and peers? What do they do?
What are political parties?
How do I vote?
How are new laws made?
What goes on in Parliament?
Why should I get involved?
How can I get involved or find out more?

To download a free copy of Your Parliament, click here.

e-Petitions planned for the House of Commons

admin — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:12:00 GMT

The Leader of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP has announced plans to develop a Parliamentary e-Petitions system. The popularity of the 10 Downing Street e-Petitions site highlights a public appetite for political participation, despite the fact that disengagement is increasingly becoming the norm. The Hansard Society has long argued that public disconnection stems from government's failure to develop suitable processes for participation.

To ensure that any attempts to engage the public via e-Petitions are effective, the Hansard Society has submitted evidence to the Procedure Committee of the House of Commons. The Committee's recommendations to government reflect our advice, proposing that MPs are involved from the outset in guiding the e-Petitions through Parliament and that signatories are informed of the progress of e-Petitions. It also suggests that ministers are called on to respond in most instances - and that the proposals contained within them should be forwarded to Select Committees for further deliberation, or debated within Westminster Hall.

The Hansard Society welcomes the government's response to the Procedure Committee's recommendations, viewing it as part of a gathering momentum towards engendering public participation - in many cases using online methods to increase access. The government's latest discussion paper on governance asks for responses to the question of how petitions and other participative mechanisms can enhance democratic engagement. We will continue to monitor the development of an e-Petitions system, alongside other forms of engagment and will advise Parliament and government as appropriate.

For more information please contact Laura Miller, Senior Researcher l[dot]miller[at]hansard[dot]lse[dot]ac[dot]uk

Hansard Society fringe meetings at party conferences - 18 July, 2008

admin — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:19:00 GMT

The Hansard Society is once again joining forces with Channel 4 to host three fringe meetings at this year's party conferences on the topic People Like Us: Is British Society fairly reflected in Parliament?

Liberal Democrats

Monday September 15, 6. 15pm at the Bourne Hall Hotel, Priory Road, Bournemouth

Speakers: Lord Dhlokia, Chris Huhne MP, Simon Hughes MP, Lembit Opik MP, Jo Swinson MP.

Chair: Katie Razzall, Channel Four News

Labour

Monday September 22, 6pm at Jury's Inn, Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester

Confirmed Speakers: Dawn Butler MP, Peter Oborne (Channel 4 Dispatches), Michael Wills MP.

Chair: Channel 4 Journalist (TBC)

Conservatives

Tuesday September 30, 6.30pm at the Copthorne Hotel, Paradise Circus Birmingham

Speakers: Iain Dale (Total Politics), Julie Kirkbride MP, Eleanor Laing MP, Theresa May MP, Baroness Warsi.

Chair: Katie Razzall, Channel Four News

PLEASE NOTE THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO REGISTER IN ADVANCE FOR THESE MEETINGS