Continue reading Quiet desperation: people ‘pushed to the margins’ secured Brexit victory
Tag: democracy
Doing referendums differently: Electoral Reform Society says lessons must be learnt
It’s official: the EU referendum debate left voters totally in the dark.
The final result could not have been clearer. But the actual campaign was anything but. Today we’ve set out what went wrong – how people from both sides of the EU debate found the experience top-down, negative and personality-dominated – but more importantly, how to make referendums better in the future.
We’re proud to launch our definitive analysis of the EU referendum debate, ‘It’s Good to Talk: Doing Referendums Differently After the EU Vote’. Because now that the dust is starting to settle, we need to learn the lessons from the EU campaign.
So today, we’re calling for a root-and-branch review into how we do referendums in the UK, with nine key recommendations on how to ensure voters get the debate they deserve in any future vote
From giving an official body the power to censure claims that are misleading, to ensuring grassroots citizen involvement at every stage of the process, we’ve laid out the ‘referendum reforms’ that are needed to prevent us making the same mistakes again.
We hope you find the report interesting and useful. Instead of leaving voters out in the cold, together we can make sure that future referendums offer the kind of informed and engaging debate we need. Thanks for your support.
| READ THE REPORT |
Best wishes,
Katie Ghose,
Chief Executive,
Electoral Reform Society
Corbyn to deliver Reid Memorial Lecture
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will deliver this year’s Jimmy Reid Foundation Annual Memorial Lecture. Continue reading Corbyn to deliver Reid Memorial Lecture
Male, pale and stale? Reinvigorating Community Councils
ELREC (Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council) and Granton & District Community Council have organised an event to encourage more BME residents to get involved in neighbourhood activities through Community Councils …
You are invited to an event:
Celebrating Diversity in Community Councils
Thursday, 11 August, 6 – 8.30pm
Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, 11 Pilton Drive North
The key aim of the event is to increase the representation of BME communities in community councils and hosted jointly by ELREC- Diversity in Public Life project and the Granton & District Community Council.
Edinburgh & Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC) has been working on Diversity in Public Life project since last year, aiming to increase the participation of the BME community in public life and in the democratic process. The project works with the diverse communities and it is funded by the Scottish Government. Under this project, a special scheme, Public Life Champion (PLC) has been launched to provide advice, training and mentoring to BME individuals who live/work across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Community council triennial elections will take place in Sept-Oct 2016. In the wake of oncoming election, the event will provide useful information (i.e.: nomination/registration process) and practical advice for those who are interested to stand as a community councillor. This event will also help establish a link between community councillors and the prospective BME candidates.
If you are interested to represent the views of your local community to the local authority and other public bodies, then joining the community council would be an ideal vehicle as well as an entry point to get into public life.
See details about: what is community council ?
The event is open to BME residents lived across Edinburgh & Lothians and community council members. Tea/Coffee and refreshments will be provided. Booking is required to give us an estimate for the catering service. Please let us know if you have any special requirements. Please circulate among your contacts/networks who might be interested on this.
To book your place online, please click here.
For more information, please contact us by email:publiclife@elrec.org.uk or Tel: 0131 556 0441
Sound as a Pound?
A new report by Common Weal argues that an independent currency pegged to Sterling is likely to be most advantageous initially for an independent Scotland, but flexibility would be needed over the longer term. Continue reading Sound as a Pound?
West Pilton West Granton Community Council meets on Tuesday
Please find attached the agenda for our next meeting, Tuesday 2nd August at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre.
We are inviting Councillor Vicki Redpath as our Community Council’s Returning Officer to speak to us (Edinburgh’s community council elections take place this September).
Speakers will also be in attendance from the Housing Planning Department to present and outline the housing proposals for West Pilton Grove and Crewe Road Gardens.
Hope to see you there,
Barbara Robertson
Jack looks back at Holyrood campaign
Jack Caldwell, who stood as an independent candidate in Northern and Leith in May’s Holyrood elections, has produced a ten-page report describing his experiences of the campaign. He hopes his campaign report will encourage others to stand as independents in future elections – but plans to join a political party himself.
‘Wee lassie fae Leith’ to chair Scottish Youth Parliament!
Northern & Leith MSYP Terri Smith has been elected to chair the Scottish Youth Parliament when Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament convened in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis for their 60th National Sitting. Continue reading ‘Wee lassie fae Leith’ to chair Scottish Youth Parliament!
The Local Hero experience
Lorne Community Association’s MELANIE WEIGANG (below, right) shares her experience of Saturday’s opening of parliament and Big Day Out: Continue reading The Local Hero experience
Open Doors, Open Minds?
First Minister hails progress in EU talks but it’s a ‘non’ from France – so much for the Auld Alliance – and Spain
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon held a series of positive meetings with senior figures in Brussels yesterday, but it’s clear there will be many obstacles to overcome if Scotland is to play an active role in Europe following the referendum result. Continue reading Open Doors, Open Minds?