Literature Scan
Centre for the Future of Democracy; ‘Refurbishing Democracy: More Direct, More Deliberative, and Younger’ (2021) https://academic.oup.com/ppmg/article/5/1/11/6490955
Argues that representative democracies must renew themselves by bringing more young people into the democratic space and into deliberative processes. Drawing on international research that suggests public satisfaction with democracy is at historic lows, it warns that youth dissatisfaction particularly will strengthen the rise of populism.
Centre for the Future of Democracy: ‘The Great Reset: Public Opinion, Populism, and the Pandemic’ (2022) https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications/great-reset/
Report examining global data which suggests that whilst the pandemic has stemmed the rise of populism, there has been an erosion of support for democratic beliefs and principles. It argues, however, that the post-pandemic environment offers a unique opportunity for a new democratic consensus and renewal, which democracies must grasp.
House of Lords Constitution Committee: ‘Respect and Co-operation: Building a Stronger Union for the 21st Century’ (2022) https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/8562/documents/86664/default/
Substantial report on the challenges facing the Union and routes to improving its constitutional settlement. Whilst the paper has a focus on devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it also discusses the role and powers of local government in England. It argues that England is too heavily centralised, and supports the development of English devolution to address regional inequalities. Report took evidence from a variety of organisations including the Citizens’ Convention on UK Democracy, convened by Graham Allen.
Institute for Government/Bennett Institute: ‘A framework for reviewing the UK constitution’ (2022) https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/constitution-review-framework
First paper published as part of the joint Institute for Government and Bennett Institute for Public Policy review of the UK constitution. Identifies five key challenges with the UK constitution in its current form, including the constitutional importance of antiquated institutions of state, and how best to balance growing demands for deliberative techniques with representative institutions.
IPPR: ‘Road to renewal: Elections, parties and the case for democratic reform’ (2022) https://www.ippr.org/research/publications/road-to-renewal
This paper is the start of a programme of work on democracy and justice at IPPR. Building on the arguments in this paper, and working with citizens and underpowered communities, it will set out reforms to ‘give back control’ and refresh democracy in the UK for the 21st century. The paper highlights the weaknesses present in democracies today, focusing on a perceived declining status and lack of voice amongst citizens.
Mile End Institute: ‘A New Settlement: Place and Wellbeing in Local Government’ (2021) https://www.qmul.ac.uk/mei/media/mei/mei-web-images/A-new-settlement-place-and-wellbeing-in-local-government.pdf
This paper calls for a new post-pandemic settlement based on strengthened local democracy, which focuses on ‘place’ and community as the foundation for public action and policy-making. It emphasises the need to give local leaders a stronger voice in national policy debates, and to decentralise power from Whitehall to local democratic centres. It argues that to deliver a real ‘levelling up’ agenda, local authorities must be given the hard power to deliver change.
The Constitution Society: ‘The Constitution in Review’ (2022) https://consoc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/UK-Constitution-Monitoring-Group-Second-Report.pdf
The second report from the United Kingdom Constitutional Monitoring Group, this paper evaluates constitutional activity between July and December 2021 against 20 stated principles. It asserts that a theme of executive unaccountability and self-regulation unites them all and contends that the current government’s legislative programme will only enhance this. A wide-ranging report that covers issues including devolution, the rule of law and integrity in public life.
UCL Constitution Unit: ‘Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Democracy in the UK’ (2022) https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/news/2022/apr/report-citizens-assembly-democracy-uk
Second of four reports that will be published by the UCL Constitution Unit in 2022 as part of its Democracy in the UK after Brexit project. Reports findings of its Citizens’ Assembly held over six weeks in 2022 which examined public attitudes towards democracy. It documents three main findings: that the public expect the highest ethical standards from elected representatives; that power should not be too concentrated in the executive; and that there should be better mechanisms for the public to be heard.
Welsh Government: ‘Reforming our Union: Shared governance in the UK’ (2021) https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/pdf-versions/2021/6/2/1624957096/reforming-our-union-shared-governance-in-the-uk-2nd-edition.pdf
Welsh Government paper containing varied proposals to protect and reform the Union, including a call to strengthen the collaboration between devolved powers and central government. It maintains that consistent reform of the Union is crucial to maintaining public faith in it and to cementing the devolved institutions as permanent features of the UK’s constitution.
Historic Documents of Interest
Oliver Cromwell: ‘Instrument of Government’ (1653)
Cromwell’s Instrument of Government was a constitutional settlement which set out the basis of government in the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. It split government into the executive, the legislature, and a Council of State – this replaced the Privy Council and was given strengthened powers to advise the executive.
Demos; ‘Modernising the Monarchy’ (1998) https://www.demos.co.uk/files/modernisingthemonarchy.pdf?1240939425
Although published with a clear focus on the turn of the century, this paper offers ideas on monarchic reform which remain relevant today. Includes many proposals such as giving the Speaker of the House of Commons responsibility for the appointment of the Prime Minister and formal dissolution of Parliament.
Lord Chancellor (Government Green Paper): ‘The Governance of Britain’ (2007) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/228834/7170.pdf
Government Green Paper which discusses ideas of how to modernise the role of the executive and make it more accountable to the public. It seeks to limit and bring greater accountability to the executive’s exercising of certain prerogative powers, such as deploying forces overseas and ratifying international treaties. Also includes proposals to better involve local people in decisions which affect them.
Patrick O’Connor QC (Justice): ‘The Constitutional Role of the Privy Council and the Prerogative’ (2009) https://justice.org.uk/the-constitutional-role-of-the-privy-council-and-the-prerogative/
Paper examining the history, development and current status of the Privy Council. Discussing the history of the body, it argues the Privy Council still possesses significant constitutional powers involving various forms of prerogative power, and questions whether it should still exist in this form in a modern democratic setting.
2022