Publications

The internet and the 2010 election

2010-07-29T14:54:00Z

Download The internet and the 2010 election putting the small ‘p’ back in politics? here.

Listen to the discussion between our panelists and the audience on what they think really happened to the 2010 'internet election' here: Part 1 Part 2

"Described variously as a non event, the dog that didn't bark and a flop, the UK's first net election shocked all but the wise and sober in failing to refashion the landscape of British electoral politics"

That was Stephen Coleman talking about the 2001 General Election in the Hansard Society's 'Cyberspace Odyssey: Elections in the age of the Internet'. Nine years on, has much changed? Twitter, Facebook, blogs: 2010 was supposed to be Britain's first ‘internet election', but, in the end, it was the televised leaders' debates that really captured the public imagination. There was no pivotal moment at which we entered the age of internet politics but the 2010 election shows how the internet has become a ‘business as usual' space for people and, with this, for politics and campaigning.

With contributions from some key election observers and practitioners, this short volume sets out to cut through some of the hype that surrounded the election and provide some empirical evidence of the internet's place in the election and also assess what realistically we might expect from the internet. Edited by Rachel Gibson, Andy Williamson and Stephen Ward and with contributions from Mark Pack, Matthew McGregor and Will Straw, this volume lifts the lid on what really happened online and stands as a reference on the 2010 election and an informative guide to anyone interested in political campaigning online.

What's trust got to do with it?

2010-05-05T09:46:00Z

Politicians have rarely been trusted, and the expenses scandal did not therefore lead to a collapse in trust in politics and politicians because levels of trust were already so low. But public dissatisfaction with politics is based on deeper problems than lack of trust in MPs and Parliament. This briefing paper identifies the more urgent challenge as being the decline in the relevance of politicians and political institutions to people’s everyday lives.

What’s Trust Got To Do With It? highlights the fact that distrust of politicians is long-standing – pre-expenses research in 2004 showed 27% of the public trusted politicians ‘a great deal’ or ‘a fair amount’; the same question asked post-expenses in 2009 showed a marginal decline in trust to 26%. The expenses scandal did not therefore lead to a collapse in trust in politics and politicians because levels of trust were already so low. In addition, for a majority of the public (53%) allegiance to a political party overrides perceptions of wrong- doing by candidates – they would still vote for them.

The briefing paper identifies declining rates of satisfaction with the country’s system of governance as a major challenge for politicians – while 60% of the public think Parliament ‘is worthwhile’, only 19% see it as an influential institution in their everyday lives. Furthermore, 85% of the public believe they have ‘not very much influence’ or ‘no influence at all’ over national decision-making. This perceived lack of influence is rooted primarily in the belief that politicians do not listen to what the public has to say and that the political system does not allow them to have influence.

What’s Trust Got To Do With It? recommends that MPs should concentrate on reforms to tackle lost satisfaction, relevance and influence rather than trying to address trust. Policies introduced to address issues of trust through the provision of greater transparency and accountability (such as Freedom of Information legislation) often have the opposite, unintended effect of engendering a culture of suspicion rather than trust.

Dr Ruth Fox, Director of the Hansard Society’s Parliament & Government programme and author of What’s Trust Got To Do With It?, commented: ‘The events of the past year have opened up an opportunity for a serious dialogue about what kind of representative democracy we want for the future. Politicians, by focusing on policies designed to engender trust, have missed the bigger, broader underlying concern – the declining levels of public satisfaction, perceived influence on decision-making and confidence in the relevance of Parliament to their lives. MPs in the new Parliament must tackle essential questions about the role and function of politicians and Parliament – if it’s just business as usual, public attitudes to politics and Parliament may plummet still further.’

To download a copy of the briefing paper, please click here.

What’s Trust Got To Do With It? – a Briefing Paper examining public trust in and expectations of politicians and Parliament draws on the latest academic research about public trust, politics and Parliament and is based on working group discussions conducted by the Hansard Society, the Political Studies Association (PSA) and the Centre for Citizenship, Globalization and Governance (C2G2) at the University of Southampton.

Political parties are digital followers not leaders

2010-04-09T14:08:00Z

Behind the Digital Campaign, a new report from the Hansard Society published today, examines the work done by the political parties' digital teams in the build up to the 2010 election. It demonstrates how their strategies have been influenced by digital campaigns in other countries and outlines the development of the ‘perpetual campaign'. It concludes that while the internet unlikely to lead to dramatic changes in the electoral landscape in this election, there are some noteworthy aspects to the general election digital campaign:

* UK political parties are largely followers not innovators

* Digital media is more effective in personality-led campaigns than party-led campaigns

* Expenditure and experimentation during the pre-election period has led to the ‘perpetual campaign' building communities of supporters to mobilise during the election period

* Third-party and single-issue digital campaigns are more likely to increase political participation and knowledge

* Social networking tools influence political activists, insiders and the media - stories generated on blogs and Twitter generally only reach the public when mainstream media take them up

Behind the Digital Campaign tracked online activity in the UK European elections, London Mayoral elections and a series of by-elections in 2008/09 as well as monitoring international online activity in seven case studies. In addition, online party strategists and activist were interviewed well before the start of the 2010 election, to examine the build up to the digital campaign.

Freddy Fallon, researcher on the Hansard Society's Digital Democracy programme and joint author of Behind the Digital Campaign, commented: ‘Whilst the internet will play more of a role than in previous elections, the stories that will be picked up by the media will, for the most part, be prominent because they are occurring online rather than simply because of their content. It is likely that the most meaningful examples of engagement online during this election will occur through single-issue campaigns and other third parties, rather than through the parties themselves.'

For further information, contact Virginia Gibbons, Head of Communications at the Hansard Society on 020 7438 1225, 07812 765 552 or mediaprog@hansard.lse.ac.uk

Editors' Notes

The Hansard Society is the UK's leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity.
The Hansard Society Digital Democracy Programme's thought-leading research has been a formative part of an emergent digital Britain from the internet's impact on Parliament, to better government engagement with citizens and the potential for civil society to harness digital media. The Digital Democracy Programme undertakes research and produces publications and commentaries with a focus on online political communication and citizen engagement, exploring the many faces of digital inclusion, citizen engagement, political campaigning and parliamentary process.

Who Governs? Forming a coalition or a minority government in the event of a hung Parliament

2010-03-10T14:03:00Z

Authors: Professor Robert Blackburn (Professor of Constitutional Law at King’s College London) and Dr Ruth Fox (Director of the Hansard Society’s Parliament & Government Programme), Oonagh Gay (Chair, Study of Parliament Group), Lucinda Maer (Senior Research Clerk, House of Commons Library).

The Hansard Society and the Study of Parliament Group have published a pamphlet on hung Parliaments. Who Governs? Forming a coalition or a minority government in the event of a hung Parliament examines what will happen in the event of an uncertain general election result this year – with particular focus on the implications for Parliament, but also looking at issues such as financial markets, how long it will take to resolve and the role of the Queen. Key questions include:

Who wins – the party with the most seats or the most votes?
What does this mean for formal coalitions or informal agreements with other parties?
What can a ‘caretaker’ Prime Minister do? What can he not do?
What is the role of the Queen?
How long does it all take to get sorted out?
What effect will the financial markets have on the process?
Does a hung Parliament mean weak government?
How will MPs balance Westminster and constituency duties in a hung Parliament?
What effect would a hung Parliament have on the House of Lords and the Salisbury Convention?

Download the full briefing paper here.

No Overall Control? The impact of a 'hung parliament' on British politics (March 2008)

For press queries please contact Virginia Gibbons on 020 7438 1225 or mediaprog@hansard.lse.ac.uk

Read the Press Release here.

The 7th Annual Audit of Political Engagement

2010-03-03T12:32:00Z

The 2010 Hansard Society annual Audit of Political Engagement has been released. The Audit this year has a special focus on MPs and Parliament, raises a number of topical issues in the context of MPs' expenses and the forthcoming general election, and provides longer term reflections on the level of continuity and change charted in the Audit findings over the course of this Parliament.

It shows that while the MPs' expenses scandal has affected the public's satisfaction with and perception of MPs and the Westminster Parliament, there has not been a change in the level of trust people say they have in politicians or politics. However, a significant finding of the Audit this year is that there has been a big decline since 2004 in the perceived impact of the Westminster Parliament on people's lives, compared to other institutions. Only 19% think Parliament is one of the top three influential institutions on their everyday lives - an 11% drop from 2004. But 60% still think Parliament is 'worthwhile', compared to only 14% who disagree.

Other key findings include:

Public dissatisfaction with how MPs in general do their jobs has risen by 8%
Whilst 71% of people say they have discussed MP's expenses in the last year, but only 41% say they have discussed politics or political views
76% say it is their duty to vote, but only 54% say they are absolutely certain to vote

Using statistical techniques the Audit divides the public into eight groups and looks at the 'voting gap' for each group - the difference between each group's 'duty to vote' and their 'certainty to vote'. Two groups of people have been identified as the people that politicians and political parties should concentrate on to increase voter turn out:

The 'politically contented' (6% of British adults) where 92% have a 'duty to vote' but only 55% have a 'certainty to vote'. This group are fairly positive about politics and therefore may be more open than most to positive efforts to engage with them.
The 'disengaged/mistrustful' (24% of British adults) where 60% have a 'duty to vote' and 24% have a 'certainty to vote'. This group are more likely to be mistrustful of politicians, but they are not alienated or hostile; at 24% of the population they are too large to ignore and present opportunities for targeted engagement initiatives.

Download the full 2010 Hansard Society annual Audit of Political Engagement.

Listen to the launch event

See the photos from the launch

Read the press release for the 2010 Hansard Society annual Audit of Political Engagement.

Televised Leaders' Debates - 1997 & 2001

2009-07-30T09:01:00Z

In the run up to the 1997 General Election the Hansard Society published a paper in the King-Hall Paper series looking at the implications of televised Leaders' Debates on political engagement. The debate about the merits of such events are being discussed again in the media in the run up to what is likely to be a General Election year in 2010; we have re-published our research on the area in electronic format for free download:

Televised Leaders' Debates: An Evaluation & Proposal 1997

Televised Leaders' Debates Revisted 2001

Restoring trust in the House of Lords

2009-07-24T09:01:00Z

Recent events in the House of Lords regarding conduct have raised serious questions about standards of conduct within the second chamber, including questions around allowances, peers' external interests and enforcement of sanctions for misconduct. This new briefing paper from the Hansard Society explores these issues and sets out a range of measures and recommendations for reinstating public trust in the House of Lords. Key recommendations include:

Empowering the office of the Lord Speaker to be able to better represent and act on behalf of the House and take forward a mandate for reform.
Significant revision of the Code of Conduct, including setting out a clear ethos and mission for the House of Lords and extending the Code to cover the use of allowances and expenses.
Consideration of the introduction of a hybrid payments system for allowances and expenses to better reflect the degree of each peer's involvement in the work of the House.
Establishing a hierarchy of possible sanctions that may be applied for breaches of a new Code of Conduct up to and including permanent expulsion from the House.
Establishing a system of external independent regulation for the management of the Lords allowances and expenses system and enforcement of the Code of Conduct.

Download the full briefing paper.

Lib Dem MPs more likely to be on Facebook

2009-07-02T09:30:00Z

Most MPs use Facebook for one-way communication not campaigning

Today, the Hansard Society launches MPs on Facebook, the first in a new series of short Digital Papers examining how parliamentarians are using social media.

MPs on Facebook shows that while over half (51%) of Liberal Democrat MPs have a presence on Facebook, the figures for Labour and the Conservatives are 15% and 9%, respectively.

The research identified three main types of usage: campaigning, communication and personal:

- 46% of MPs are using Facebook primarily as a communications tool

- 31% of MPs are using Facebook primarily to canvas and campaign

- 13% of MPs are using Facebook primarily for personal information

- 10% of MPs' Facebook pages are ‘inactive'

The research also examined the frequency and nature of online activity of MPs' Facebook pages:

42% of MPs publish at least one item daily
17% regularly make multiple posts in the same day
23% publish no more than once a week
6% publish less than that

Andy Williamson, Director of the Hansard Society eDemocracy Programme, commented: ‘Using Facebook as a one-way publishing medium ignores its real benefits. The key to harnessing this new generation of tools is conversation and engagement where citizens can communicate with their MPs and get a response. Most MPs have a long way to go before they can claim to truly understand the power of social media.'

For further information, contact Virginia Gibbons, Head of Communications at the Hansard Society on 020 7438 1225 / 07812 765552

Editors' Notes

The Hansard Society is the UK's leading independent, non-partisan political research and education charity.
MPs on Facebook is the first in an occasional series of short Digital Papers from the Hansard Society eDemocracy Programme.
The Hansard Society eDemocracy Programme's thought-leading research has been a formative part of an emergent digital Britain from the internet's impact on Parliament, to better government engagement with citizens and the potential for civil society to harness digital media. The eDemocracy Programme undertakes research and produces publications and commentaries with a focus on online political communication and citizen engagement, exploring the many faces of digital inclusion, citizen engagement, political campaigning and parliamentary process.

New briefing on House of Commons reform - June 15, 2009

2009-06-15T11:52:00Z

The Hansard Society published a briefing paper for reform of the House of Commons drawing on 20 years of research work and recommendations to strengthen Parliament. The blueprint was published to coincide with the first ever Speaker Hustings held in public view, and before the media, hosted by the Hansard Society. It can be downloaded for free here

Among the blueprint proposals recommended by the Hansard Society are:

A Business Committee for the House of Commons to put control of the parliamentary timetable in the hands of a cross party body of MPs rather than leaving it in the control of the executive.
A Parliamentary Finance Office, modelled on the US Government Accounting Office, would provide individual MPs with independent expertise and advice on financial matters, empowering them to better scrutinise public spending and taxation proposals.
A shift towards a committee based culture in the House of Commons with the main chamber taking on a plenary focus. Select committee chairs and members should be elected by MPs not party whips, the work of committees should be better integrated into wider parliamentary activity and more time should be set aside for the detailed work that committees undertake.
A system of e-Petitions, managed through a new Petitions Committee, to help revitalise public engagement with Parliament. Hansard Society research shows that the public are more likely to sign a petition than to engage in any other form of democratic activity. This has to be properly integrated into parliamentary procedures.
The appointment of a Chief Executive to professionalise the organisation and operation of the House of Commons. At present the House is managed by the Clerk of the House. Clerks are expert professional advisers on constitutional and procedural issues. They are not experts in management, budgets, human resources and logistics. A Chief Executive should take on these responsibilities.

The Scottish Parliament 1999-2009: The First Decade (May 2009)

2009-05-18T16:48:00Z

12 May 2009 marks the 10-year anniversary of the first inaugural sessions of the Scottish Parliament. Rarely can such high expectations have been invested in a political institution. The Parliament was to become the fulcrum of a 'new politics'. Expectations were high. As the parliament moves into its second decade, now is the perfect time to reflect on its role in the Scottish and wider UK political process. This publication from the Hansard Society looks at:

What has been learned?
What have been the challenges and its achievements?
Has it matured unto the effective legislative body that so many hoped for?

This edited collection of essays from distinguished commentators, academics and parliamentarians discuss some of the key issues in the development of the Scottish parliament over the past decade.

It can be ordered from Luath Press.

Audit of Political Engagement 6

2009-04-01T00:00:00Z

The annual Audit of Political Engagement carried out by the Hansard Society measures the nature and extent of political engagement and reveals where views have changed - and where they remain constant. It offers a yearly snapshot of political knowledge and engagement in Britain.

Audit 6 has a special focus on the public's attitudes to political participation and citizenship and explores issues such as the degree to which people want to be actively involved in decision-making locally and nationally, how influential in decision-making they feel they are, and how satisfied they are with the system of governance in Britain. This Audit indicates that an ‘Obama effect' may be developing among British black and ethnic minorities (BMEs):

41% of BMEs agree that ‘when people like me get involved in politics, they really can change the way that the country is run' compared to 31% of whites - a 10% increase since last year
42% of BMEs are ‘very' or ‘fairly' interested in politics -a 15% increase since last year
43% think the present system of governing works well compared to 32% of whites - the first time in six annual Audits that BME respondents are more optimistic than whites

Download the full Audit of Political Engagement 6

Listen to the event and see photos here

For more information about the Audit of Political Engagement Series, click here. The raw survey data from the opinion polling carried out by Ipsos MORI for Audit 6 is available to download here.

Audit 6 was funded by the Ministry of Justice and the House of Commons.

MPs Online: Connecting with Constituents

2009-02-24T09:43:00Z

A new Hansard Society report, sponsored by Microsoft, MPs Online: Connecting with Constituents, reveals that MPs are using the internet primarily to inform their constituents rather than engage with them. The most widely used digital media are those which are mainly passive in nature, such as websites. Interactive forms of media which could be used by MPs to develop a two-way dialogue with their constituents, such as blogs and social networking, are used less commonly. Where these tools are used, it is often in passive 'send' mode with few MPs exploiting their full interactive potential.

Key findings from the research are:

- 92% of MPs use email
- 83% of MPs have a personal website
- 23% of MPs use social networking
- 11% of MPs blog

Click here to download the full report.

Hansard Scholars Programme Official Transcripts

2008-12-09T14:05:00Z

If you participated in the programme in the last 12 months you do not have to pay for transcripts. Please contact Ivanna Chakma, Programme Coordinator I.Chakma@hansard.lse.ac.uk or call on 020 7438 1223.

If you participated on the programme 12 months ago and would like copies of your transcript, they cost £7 (including P&P). Please use PayPal to order them.

Parliament and the Public: Knowledge, interest and perceptions

2008-11-25T11:20:00Z

The Westminster Parliament is the heart of democracy in the United Kingdom. But in this age of widespread political disenchantment, how do the British people view the nation's supreme representative body? The Hansard Society's annual Audit of Political Engagement recently found that 75% of people agree that a strong Parliament is good for democracy, yet only a third are satisfied with how the institution works at the moment.

In an effort to shed further light on the public's complex relationship with Parliament, we commissioned ComRes to conduct a poll examining people's attitudes towards the institution. The results reveal strikingly low levels of knowledge about Parliament, as well as some surprising perceptions about its role.

Just 32% of people agree that they ‘have a good understanding of the way Parliament works'
Only one in two members of the public are confident that Parliament is not the same thing as government
Just over half of people (53%) have an interest in Parliament
Younger people (aged 18-34) and women are more likely to want to know more about Parliament
Nearly half of people agree that Parliament undertakes important functions that no other body can undertake
An overwhelming majority of people feel that that Parliament is unrepresentative of British society
Only 19% of people agree that Parliament is ‘working for them'

The full report is available to download free here: Parliament and the Public: Knowledge, interest and perceptions .

The full ComRes poll results are available to view free here: ComRes Public Poll Results

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

2008-08-13T11:10:00Z

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