Young people’s voices went unheard: the Brexit generational divide

One thing to emerge both on social media and on the streets after the referendum result was a clear generational divide in how people voted. CoVi ran a research and analysis exercise looking at why such a divide existed, and how it played out in the public debate during the referendum campaign. Caroline Macfarland and Katy Owen explain how older, male-dominated personalities dominated the campaign, which did not appeal to younger voters’ preference for issues-based political debate. They suggest how younger Remain voters can have a voice in the ensuing Brexit negotiations

Changing Politics: Towards a New Democracy

In October 2014 the PSA joint-funded a Consultation event ‘Changing Politics – Towards a New Democracy’ with St. George’s House. The Chair of the PSA, Professor Matthew Flinders, chaired the event which brought together participants from a range of fields (including academics, think tankers and practitioners in several policy areas). Today, St. George’s House has published a report which highlights the main themes emerging from the discussion as well as some conclusions and recommendations. It identifies several areas where changes are urgently needed to reinvigorate democracy. The report concludes that to fully succeed in addressing the growth of political apathy and disengagement, parties and leaders must forget their differences and join citizens, academics, charities and others to address this problem with all available energy and resources

We need to ensure that group behaviours are taken into account across policy initiatives

Caroline MacFarland addresses the oversights of the Big Society in not laying out the fundamental means to harness and encourage social group activity. This is vital as clubs and social groups cultivate social capital, wellbeing, and counter social ills such as loneliness and anti-social behaviour