Labour’s aim is to improve democracy and government institutions. We want to encourage a sense of pride in our communities, where people are involved in the decisions that affect their lives. This requires devolution of power alongside measures to encourage and facilitate citizen involvement.

Labour has been at the forefront of constitutional reform, having overseen the biggest constitutional reform programme for over a century, devolving power locally and nationally, introducing new rights and enhancing democracy. We are committed to further modernisation to ensure that government is more responsive and accountable and that citizens’ rights are strengthened.

What more can we do to ensure people become involved in political and civic life?

Low levels of turnout at elections and public apathy toward politics are unhealthy trends. Labour needs to address this lack of interest in politics while removing barriers to involvement in the political process.

We must continue to look at how we can make elections more accessible and more attractive to people who do not currently vote. Just as postal voting has had a positive effect on turnout there may be other measures we can take to increase participation. The recent Green Paper, ‘The Governance of Britain’, also proposes to examine the case for moving voting to the weekend for both general and, potentially, local elections. As well as widening access to democracy, we need to continually improve the efficiency and security of electoral administration.

How do we grow people’s involvement in civil society?

Labour believes that in order to ensure a common bond between all types of citizen in our country we must foster a common view of the nature of rights and responsibilities. This will help build our shared sense of social identity and social cohesion. Citizenship education is a key part of our approach and we must consider what more we can do to clarify what it means to be a British citizen. To this end, the Green Paper, ‘The Governance of Britain’, calls for a debate on developing a British statement of values and the government has also commissioned a review of citizenship, as we look to develop the ideals and principles that bind us together as a nation. Our aim is a state which: focuses on outcomes; empowers citizens; builds trust with the people; and encourages citizens to take joint responsibility for their own well-being.

How do we take forward constitutional reform to enhance democracy?

Labour has been the party of constitutional reform and we remain committed to taking forward our programme of democratic reform to enhance democracy and accountability. The recently published Green Paper ‘The Governance of Britain’ outlines a number of proposals to strengthen our democracy.

It asks how we should hold power accountable, and how should we uphold and enhance the rights and responsibilities of the citizen. It considers a number of proposals to improve our democracy, including: limiting the powers of the executive, making the executive and parliament more accountable; reforming the House of Lords; streamlining public appointments; increasing transparency of government; a potential written constitution; and developing a British statement of values.

Points to consider

• Changed times require a new kind of politics - how do we reform the state accordingly so that it is responsive, accountable and empowering?
• How do we continue our reforms to give Britain a better constitution, one fit for the 21st century?
• How do we address political apathy and low levels of turnout at elections?
• How can we enhance and ensure trust in our democratic institutions and politicians?
• How do we work to persuade more people to join political parties?
• What more can we do to encourage volunteering?