News & Insights

Government launches the ‘Protecting the Debate’ consultation

Few people deny that there is threat to democracy in the widespread intimidation of politicians, particularly women, and the Committee on Standards in Public Life published a strong Report on the subject last December. It made 33 recommendations and the Government is now seeking to implement some of these by consulting on a new electoral offence of intimidating candidates, and a consolidation/clarification of the electoral law of ‘undue influence’. A third strand to the consultation – which closes on October 5th is to require digital or online electoral communications to carry the kind of imprint already familiar on printed material.

Modest enough proposals, but taken alongside some clamping down of online malpractices and fake news, the kind of steps that the UK – and other countries – need to take to cope with the terrible acts and threats that have become only too common. In the words of the Committee Chairman, Lord Bew:

“We have heard evidence that intimidatory behaviour can stem from of our current political culture, with low levels of trust in politicians and a feeling of frustration and alienation by some people. Against that backdrop, it is down to all in public life to play their part in restoring and protecting our public political culture by setting a tone which respects the right of every individual to participate and does not, however inadvertently, open a door to intimidation.” [1]

The Cabinet office consultation paper makes a good point when it says:

“British democracy has always been robust and oppositional. But a line is crossed when disagreement mutates into intimidation. Electors have a right to make their choice at the ballot box based on high quality, open, and informed debate. As highly personal attacks obscure policy plans or professional capabilities, voters’ ease of choice is reduced and trust in our political system is undermined. Through this, it is evident that a failure to tackle intimidatory behaviour in the political sphere affects everyone.” (pages 16/17}

Essentially, this is about electoral law, and although it is important, those of us concerned with public engagement and consultation will wish to add a further dimension to the issue. It is about the quality of our debates. In The Politics of Consultation we argue that dumbing down debate is itself a danger to democracy. By this we mean a retreat from evidence-based policy-making and a trend towards taking decisions on doctrinaire grounds. The art of condensing complex arguments into chant-able slogans is not altogether conducive to good governance, but is a fact of our modern, 24-hour instant news world.

That is why a formal consultation process is so valuable. It offers a safe space for serious debate and, when well designed, at an appropriate level of detail for meaningful contributions from well-informed stakeholders. Is there evidence that the malevolent side of social media is intimidating people from taking part in such debates? We know of some controversial planning disputes where some opponents feel afraid to be seen as hostile to new developments. There are also areas of racial tension where one community or another feel less able to participate. Are there some taboo issues where even experienced politicians claim that difficult matters have been ignored. Think of the views of Rotherham MP, Sarah Champion on the sensitive subject of child sexual abuse.

The Government consultation raises important matters of electoral law, but its title is probably wrong. Safeguarding the electoral process and doing something to encourage the best and brightest from enter public life is laudable – but will not of itself protect the debate. For that we need to strengthen the culture of consultation – and ensure there are more and better opportunities for sound arguments to be seen and heard – other than just in Council Chambers and in Parliament. In many ways, it’s all about The Politics of Consultation!

[1]www.gov.uk/government/news/intimidation-in-public-life-committee-publishes-report

 

More news

police
Shopping Basket
Scroll to Top

Your membership questions answered

View our frequently asked questions or contact our dedicated account manager for further support.

You can reset your password here. If you’re still having issues, please send us a message below.

We have many ways you can pay for your membership.

  • Credit card
  • Online
  • Invoice
  • PO
  • Monthly

You can renew/upgrade your membership here.

To find out more, send us a message below.

You will receive a reminder email from our dedicated membership account manager 4 weeks before your renewal date. This email will contain all the information you need to renew.

You can also renew your membership online here.

You can update your contact details here. Alternatively, please send a message to our membership account manager below.

Please send a message to our membership account manager below. 

Still need support?

Our dedicated Membership Account Manager is on
hand to assist with any questions you might have.

Request a callback

Leave a message and our team will call you back

"*" indicates required fields

Name*

Send us a message

We’ll be in touch with you soon.

Name(Required)
Email(Required)