Informing and engaging citizens
Pre-electoral coalitions increase voter turnout by making elections more decisive
The UK continues to use the First Past the Post electoral system, which is more likely to result in majority governments, but less representative of voter preferences as expressed through the ballot box. It has been argued that not only are proportional systems fairer than majoritarian ones, but that they can increase turnout through making […]
Theresa May’s announcement of new community sponsorship schemes was the silver lining of her conference speech
Theresa May’s speech at the Conservative Party conference, which focussed largely on immigration and its supposed negative societal and economic effects proved to be controversial, finding criticism even amongst conservative supporting newspapers and members of her own party. Marley Morris however found some promise in the ideas she presented around community sponsorship. Similar PostsTheresa May […]
Book Review: Islamic State: The Digital Caliphate by Abdel Bari Atwan
Islamic State: The Digital Caliphate provides detailed answers to a number of pressing questions: What exactly is ISIS? Where did it come from? Who is behind it? How does it function? What are the reasons for its success? Daniel Falkiner welcomes the rich description and analysis and finds Abdel Bari Atwan does an admirable job of explaining the ways Islamic […]
The Labour Party’s European policy under Jeremy Corbyn: no Brexit, no Grexit
Jeremy Corbyn’s surprise election as leader of the Labour Party shone an unexpected light on his views regarding European integration. A previously known Eurosceptic, he has stated since his elevation that he’d campaign for the UK to remain in the EU regardless of the result of any putative renegotiation. Here, Isabelle Hertner casts an eye over […]
Theresa May has fundamentally misjudged the public mood on immigration
In Theresa May’s Conservative party conference speech she warned that high levels of immigration make it ‘impossible to build a cohesive society’ as it is ‘difficult for schools and hospitals and core infrastructure like housing and transport to cope’. Instead of framing migration as a threat to Britain’s cohesion, the Government should be proactive and […]
The Northern Ireland Secretary’s suggestion that Stormont’s impasse could be solved by the return of London rule is dangerous and wrong
Northern Ireland’s politics are in the midst of a crisis fuelled by the UK government’s austerity programme, and continued tensions over the presence of paramilitary forces linked to Sinn Fein. The Conservative Government’s Theresa Villiers has suggested that the reimposition of direct rule from Westminster could be a way out of the impasse. Sean Swan […]
Understanding democracy as a product of citizen performances reduces the need for a defined ‘people’
In a paper recently presented at the 2015 APSA Annual Meeting, Liron Lavi addresses the conflict between the understanding of democracy as ‘the rule of the people’ and the fact that ‘the people’ will always be a heterogeneous, open, and dynamic concept. She writes that if democracy is understood as an effect produced by repetitive […]
European views on the UK’s renegotiation: Italy, Poland, Bulgaria and Malta
The success or failure of David Cameron’s planned renegotiation of the UK’s EU membership will depend to a large extent on how the other 27 EU member states respond to his proposals. But how do countries across the EU view the UK’s renegotiation? Building on a report published in 2014 by the German Council on […]
Any aspiration to ‘grow the electorate’ will require nurturing greater awareness of our fellow citizens’ values
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the UK Labour party, pointed out recently that 36% of the electorate didn’t vote in the last election. He underscored the need to “grow the electorate”. New research that Bec Sanderson and Tom Crompton conducted provides insights into how this might be achieved. Similar PostsWho don’t young people vote? Self-confessed ignorance, and dislike […]
Andrew Parker’s BBC interview shows continuing weaknesses in how UK security services are scrutinised
Last month, MI5 Director General Andrew Parker appeared on BBC Radio 4 to make the case for intelligence agency powers in advance of the forthcoming Investigatory Powers Bill. Andrew Defty argues that while new surveillance legislation is needed, a robust regulatory framework will also be required to produce effective intelligence and a more secure society. […]
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