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Gordon Brown has been quite clear in his intention to introduce a new type of politics, and top of the agenda is citizen engagement. Last week, while addressing the National Council of Voluntary Organisations, he outlined the cold hard voting facts. ‘Once 84% of people voted, and that was 17 out of every 20, in the last election, it was less than 62%, 12 in every 20,' he said. ‘In the 1950s, one in 11 people joined a political party, today it is one in 88. ‘Once political parties aggregated views from millions of people, now they need to broaden their appeal to articulate the views of more than the few.' Three new ideas Mr Brown has up his sleeve are citizens juries, comprising independently-chosen members who will be given facts and figures which are independently verified. These juries will not be a substitute for representative democracy, ‘they are an enrichment of it'. Standing commissions will bring together ‘not just people of all parties, but representatives from outside the normal party system to examine continuing issues of concern'. Mr Brown also proposed a speaker's conference to consider against the backdrop of a decline in turnout a number of other issues, such as registration, weekend voting and the representation of women and ethnic minorities in the House of Commons. The proposals seem positive, but perhaps inevitably, concerns have already been raised. Paul Wheeler, director of the Political Skills Forum, pointed out that the speaker's conference mirrored work the Councillors Commission was already undertaking, particularly in regard to representation. He says Mr Brown is heading in the right direction, but there is a danger of going over old ground. ‘Mr Brown is looking at reconnecting with the people, but at a national level, unfortunately, there is a tendency to ignore decisions or actions at a local level,' he tells The MJ. ‘This could be seen as another attempt to reinvent democracy, when perhaps the focus should be on making what is there already work.' Head of the centre for local democracy at the LGIU, Maureen Alderson, tells The MJ the general feeling is one of excitement that the prime minister has taken on board the fact that ‘local people and local representatives are best placed to come up with solutions to local issues and local problems'. However, Ms Alderson raises concerns over whether local people will, in reality, be giving an input, or whether the proposals are being put in place to encourage more ticks in voting form boxes. ‘There are concerns over such issues as the citizens juries he mentioned. It sounds good, but who exactly will choose the jury and what is tahe role for local people,' she asks. ‘We need to make sure the input that is given by participatory groups is real and listened to. In reality, are they actually having an influence?' According to Mr Wheeler, high voter turnout depends on whether there is a high chance of change. Perhaps citizen re-engagement is Mr Brown's key to getting people back in the voting booths.

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WHITEHALL

Reinventing the wheel?

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