Reimagining Engagement between Citizens and Parliament

Abstract

This chapter reimagines the relationship between citizens and parliament. Five core principles of public engagement – inclusivity, relevance, relatability, continuity and sustainability – drive the process of reimagining; and result in a reimagined parliamentary public engagement that would be welcoming and inclusive, consequential and future generations aware. In reflecting upon how far the UK parliament is from this reimagined future, core features of parliament – such as its collective and hierarchical nature, and its dependency on electoral cycles – are identified as inhibitors of a principled reimagining of parliamentary public engagement. The chapter concludes by calling for a far more institutionalised approach to engagement, to make it more meaningful, consequential and better resourced