Themes

Political engagement

What do the public think about the state of British democracy? How interested and knowledgeable are people about politics and Parliament? Are they satisfied with MPs and the political parties? Public participation is the lifeblood of representative democracy, but are people politically active, and do they feel that getting involved in politics is worthwhile?

Latest

Blog / How is the Petitions Committee representing the public amid the procedural and practical restrictions of the Covid crisis?

Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the House of Commons Petitions Committee, sets out how the Covid-19 crisis has significantly increased the public's use of e-petitions while limiting the House's ability to debate them. This has prompted the Committee to innovate, to ensure that petitioners' voices are heard during the crisis.

Journal / Parliamentary Affairs (vol 73, issue 2, 2020)

Articles on themes including the mental wellbeing of politicians, the efficacy of the petitions system in the UK Parliament and devolved legislatures, the rate of equivocacy in former Prime Minister Theresa May's answers during PMQs, the emergence of international inter-parliamentary institutions, and more.

Publications / A New Normal? Parliament after Brexit

The 2017-19 Parliament was, famously, 'not normal'. Following the 2019 general election, some around Westminster welcome, and want to encourage, a return to normality. But what's 'normal'? And will the demands of Brexit, plus a constitutional and procedural reaction against the 2017-19 experience, mean the new parliamentary normal is different from the old?

Journal / Parliamentary Affairs (vol 73, issue 1, 2020)

Articles in this latest edition cover topics as diverse as political finance regulation, devolution, young people and the EU referendum, candidate campaigning in general elections, the policisation of abortion and the electoral success of women candidates, as well as reflections on the Turkish, Australian, Irish and EU Parliaments.

Blog / 2019 Mock Elections: Higher turnout and different outcome than the real general election

Schools making up an ‘electorate’ of over 46,000 young people returned their results to the Hansard Society's 2019 Mock Elections, which were held to coincide with the December general election and continued a series extending back over 50 years. Labour emerged as the clear 'winner' of the 2019 mock poll.