Policy in Practice’s Post

Hoenig calls for Local Government Reform at Conference in Tamworth | NSW Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig has called for more transparency in local government during the annual conference in Tamworth this week. #newswithoutpaywalls #hyperlocal #newengland #netimes #LocalGoverment #RonHoenig #Tamworth

We reveal how an infamous asset manager and an intelligence-linked consultancy have been cosying up to Labour. Welcome, dear reader, to the inaugural edition of the new Dark Arts newsletter, in which I will try to keep you up to date with what’s afoot in the murky world of lobbying, influence and money in politics. And what better time to get started? This general election is set to see the main parties raise and spend more than ever before, thanks to the new electoral spending rules quietly ushered through Parliament late last year, which increased the national spending limit from £19m to £34m. It’s also a fairly unique election in that everyone knows who is going to win. Much of the press pack will dance around it, if only to retain some sense of jeopardy and excitement in their coverage, but everyone knows – and many have done for quite some time – that Labour will form the next government. This is particularly true of the corporate lobbying industry, which has spent the past 12 to 18 months embarking on an unprecedented rush to forge ties with Starmer’s Labour in anticipation of a change of government. That the result of this election is essentially a foregone conclusion will inform the focus of this newsletter – which should be with you every week between now and polling day. After 14 years of Conservative-led government, the UK and its beleaguered inhabitants are in desperate need of positive change, and there are aspects of Labour’s platform that, if the party follows through on them, do give some cause for optimism. https://lnkd.in/eyaghJ8M

Here, we have a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

Check out the fascinating findings from our big European study, significant effects across Europe of the US election on happiness and civic behaviors 🌸

Here, we have a look at the topics likely to dominate political discourse in the week to come.

Our team members Jamie Horton and Johnny Luk went to the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences respectively recently to speak to our contacts and understand what it means for policy making in this new parliament. Some highlighted observations include: 🔴 For Labour, early signs from the Starmer government show a generally high level of caution, openness to government intervention, favouring the empowerment of local government (aside from planning), a dominating Treasury led policy making process and a preference to reform institutions rather than more spending, all couched in a high degree of pragmatism. 🔵 For the Conservatives, the conference was overshadowed by the leadership contest. With nearly a five-year gap until the next general election, there is time for the Conservatives to adopt and champion new ideas. What they calculate as having the most electoral potency will depend on both who the new leader is and the terrain Labour will allow their opponents to challenge them on. For those in our network who also went to the party conferences, how was your experience? To read our full observations and insights, do take a look at our blog below: https://lnkd.in/evhFbkAH

🚨NEW RESEARCH 🚨 The challenges facing the country and the new Labour government are daunting. From broken public services to a sluggish economy, with an electorate worn down by the cost-of-living crisis and a chronic breakdown of trust, the period ahead will be marked by difficult decisions in a fiscally-constrained environment. Taking the public on this journey will not be easy. Our Citizens’ White Paper, produced in collaboration with Involve, sets out why, when and how the government could embed citizen involvement in national policy making to tackle the complex and potentially divisive challenges facing our country and deliver on the Prime Minister’s promise to restore trust in politics. Find out more ⬇ https://lnkd.in/eJzSs5hX

The case for participatory policy making ... things have got to be done differently. What we have now doesn't meet the long-term challenges that we face.

Loving this new report from Demos and, my old organisation, Involve on why and how the new UK government should introduce and embed participatory policy making in government. I particularly like the practical, step-by-step approach it proposes from the immediate steps to longer term plans: ⏩ Immediate steps 1. Announcement of five flagship Citizens’ Panels to feed into new Mission Boards 2. Set up a cross-government standing citizens’ pool for Mission Boards and departments to draw on 3. Creation of a central hub of participatory policy making expertise in government 🔜 Short term actions 4. Announcement of a programme of flagship Citizens’ Assemblies 5. Levers to encourage participatory policy making across government 6. Citizen involvement in select committee enquiries 📅 Longer term plans 7. Create and implement Duty to Consider Participation 8. Citizen involvement in post-legislative scrutiny 9. Independent standards setting Hope to see the UK joining other countries leading on reforms to mainstream public participation in government soon! https://lnkd.in/eNzHVye9

ICYMI: ✍ What did we learn from the The Labour Party, The Conservative Party and Liberal Democrats party conferences? Our Public Affairs Lead Joss MacDonald gives his key takeaways in our latest blog: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ehy6J6qX #RecipeForChange #NourishingtheNation