Hansard Society in the Media
For media enquiries, please contact:
Virginia Gibbons, Head of Communications
T: 020 7438 1225
M: 07812 765552
comms@hansardsociety.org.uk
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On March 30, the Hansard Society published the report Politicians Get Their Clicks which has received coverage in several online publications. Some of these have been listed below:
In this general election, 'data is king' - Public Service, Wednesday 31 March, 2010
The digital campaign is more than two clicks away - UKauthorITy.com, Wednesday 31 March, 2010
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On Thursday March 11, the Hansard Society published a new pamphlet, Who Governs? Forming a coalition or minority government in the event of a hung parliament, examining what will happen in the event of an uncertain general election result this year. The report is quoted in the following articles:
Past offers little comfort as hung parliament looms - Irish Times, March 17, 2010
Welcome to life under Nick Clegg - Sunday Time, March 14, 2010
Lib Dem activists face investor scrutiny - Financial Times, March 11, 2010
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The Hansard Society asked the three main parties to lay out their party's plans for parliamentary reform in a series of three lectures. The first lecture took place on March 9 and featured Jack Straw MP (Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice). This received some attention in the media.
Tory plan to cut MP numbers 'undemocratic' says Straw - BBC, March 9, 2010
Jack Straw: Tory plans to cut MPs are 'anti-democratic' - Telegraph, March 10, 2010
Straw accuses Cameron of 'outright gerrymandering' over boundary review - Wintour and Watt blog, Guardian, March 10, 2010
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The Scout Association has been working with the Hansard Society and Oxfam to encourage young people to register to vote. More information about the project can be found at http://www.activecitizens.net/
The events have attracted press coverage, some of which is listed below:
Oxfam
and Scouts join forces to encourage young voters - Civil Society Media,
Monday 15 March
Charities
campaign to encourage first-time voters - Children & Young People Now,
Sunday 14 March
Scouts urge
young people to vote - Jakehead.com, Saturday 13 March
Scout
Association urging young people to vote - BBC, Saturday 13 March
Nottingham
event to encourage youngsters to vote - This is Nottingham, Saturday 13
March
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The 2010 Hansard Society annual Audit of Political Engagement has received lots of coverage in the media, some of which is listed below:
General Election 2010: Facebook and Twitter to have unprecedented impact - Telegraph, Tuesday 6 April 2010
MPs' expenses scandal 'has not caused collapse in trust in
politics' - Guardian, Wednesday 3 March 2010
Parliament's drift into irrelevance - Politics.co.uk Wednesday, 03, Mar 2010 01:33
Many young voters not registered, says watchdog - BBC, Wednesday, 3 March 2010
Only 22% of parents would be proud to see their child become
an MP - Andrew
Sparrow, Guardian, Wednesday 3 March 2010
Blunkett warns of widening gap between politicians and
public - David Blunkett MP's blog, Wednesday, 03, Mar 2010
Hansard: No silver bullet - Politics.co.uk, Wednesday, 03, Mar 2010
Expenses row had 'modest impact' on MPs' reputations - Epolitix, Wednesday 3 March 2010
Move over Mondeo man - Mr Bored and Ms Mistrustful rule road
in 2010 - Polly Curtis, Guardian, Saturday 27 February 2010
Lalit Modi eases fears of IPL terrorism after Englishmen
wobble - Guardian, Saturday 27 February 2010 16.52 GMT
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On February 10, the Hansard Society published the report Digital citizens and demoncratic participation: An analysis of how citizens participate online and connect with MPs and Parliament which has received coverage in several online publications. Dr Andy Williamson, participated in a panel discussing whether MPs should use online tools on Sky News on February 16.Director of the Hansard Society eDemocracy Programme. Below is a selection of articles discussing the report.
What do the public want politcians to get up to online? - Mark Pack, Liberal Democrat Voice
Hansard Society report: Britons want MPs to communicate online - Total Politics blog
People want MPs to engage online - Public Service
Digital Citizens want to engage with politicians - passive democracy is not enough - UKauthorITy.com
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Dr. Ruth Fox, Director of the Hansard Society's Parliament & Government Programme, was on BBC Breakfast discussing the process of parliamentary privilage. This interview was also covered in the Independent:
"If it is a defence against almost any action that an MP takes in Parliament, in any relationship with their work, then I think this is going to be deeply damaging for the public. They will see that it is putting MPs above the public, giving them enhanced powers, making them essentially above the laws that they themselves make."
Read the coverage:
The Independent
BBC News
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Telegraph - February 4
Liberal Conspiracy - February 4
Left Foot Forward - February 3
Guardian - February 3
Read the press release and letter here
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The Hansard Society is recommended in a report released by the
Procedure Committee - Election of the Speaker and of the Deputy Speakers.
In its conclusions and recommendations it suggests that hustings for the
position of Speaker of the House of Commons should be organised by
organisations such as the Hansard Society. In June 2009 the Hansard Society
organised the first ever public hustings, which were streamed live on the BBC -
the first time a non-parliamentary business event had been broadcast live from
within Parliament. The report said:
"Hustings
4. We welcome the part played by outside
organisations such as the Hansard Society in organising hustings for the
election of the Speaker and believe that this is a role best filled by these
bodies, rather than by the House itself. (Paragraph 19)"
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Dr Ruth Fox was quoted in an article discussing the issue of district council potentially dropping the
practice of counting ballots through the night. The article discusses the affect this may have on the financial markets in the UK.
Read the article on Bloomberg here