For too long now, online political campaigning in Britain has gone effectively unregulated – to the benefit of well-funded, secretive groups, and to the detriment of voters. Despite the rapid rise of online political ads as a campaign tool, governments...
Posted 29 Oct 2020
"When we now come to use Westminster’s one-person-takes-all system in Scotland, it seems perverse and unwieldly."
Posted 04 May 2020
Democracy isn’t static, it is a process. It isn’t always simple or easy, and today it is being tested under the strain of a crisis of trust, one which affects political institutions, the public square...
Posted 30 Mar 2020
If you were a 16 or 17-year-old is Scotland, you probably felt quite annoyed at being left out of December’s General Election. If it had been a Scottish Parliament or Local Council Election you would have...
Posted 29 Jan 2020
On the 26th and 27th October 100 of Scotland’s citizens met to begin the six-month process of deliberating on the future of Scotland. The Citizens’ Assembly will provide the opportunity to democratically work through complex...
Posted 31 Oct 2019
The Scottish Government says it is committed to deepening democracy in Scotland. This is vital and timely, as trust in democracy is at a very low ebb. In other places the response to social, economic...
Posted 12 Sep 2019
How do you ensure the recently-announced Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland is open and transparent while protecting the participants from hostility and excess lobbying? How do you ensure it is independent of government – but also that it...
Posted 17 Jul 2019
It’s clear that there is a growing appetite for a new kind of democracy, after hundreds gathered on Monday evening to debate plans for a Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland. At a sold-out panel Q&A hosted...
Posted 10 Jul 2019
Next Monday, the firing gun will be started on the Scottish Government’s plans for a ‘Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland’. Hundreds will gather to discuss what this might look like, what it might involve, and how...
Posted 05 Jul 2019
This piece was originally published by The Scotsman. Talk of citizens’ assemblies is in the air. Former Conservative leadership contender, Rory Stewart has suggested holding one to break through the Brexit impasse. And on Monday,...
Posted 20 Jun 2019