Green shoots for parliamentary engagement revealed by annual study

The 2017 audit reveals that while levels of knowledge and satisfaction with Parliament remain relatively low, the public recognise its importance to democracy, and the percentage of the population certain to vote in an immediate General Election remains at its highest point since the audit began 14 years ago. Additionally, the number of people taking advantage of opportunities to get involved in the work of Parliament is starting to increase.

Headline insights:

• 73% of the public believes that Parliament is essential to democracy
• 59% of the public said they would be certain to vote in an immediate General Election
• Claimed interest in (53%) and knowledge (49%) of politics have declined compared to 2016
• Fewer than a third of people were satisfied with the way that Parliament works
• Only 38% of the public think Parliament is doing a good job of representing their interests
• Knowledge and engagement with Parliament are lowest among less affluent and younger groups

Engagement with Parliament:

• Just over half the public say they have engaged with Parliament in some way in the last year – a ten point increase on 2015
• The proportion of the public who report watching or listening to a parliamentary debate or committee meeting (online, on TV or on radio) has increased from 31% to 39%
• The number saying they have signed an e-petition is up from 15% to 22%
• 40% of the public say they would be prepared to sign an e-petition in future if they felt strongly about an issue
• 28% of the public welcome local workshops about how Parliament works

Responding to the results of the 2017 audit, Penny Young, Managing Director, Participation, and Librarian, House of Commons, said:

“The vast majority of the public see Parliament as being essential to democracy, but many people still don’t feel it works well enough for them. However, there are encouraging signs – more people are signing e-petitions, and more people are watching or listening to debates and committees. We want everyone to understand that they can make a difference, which is why we are reaching out to the public through events across the country, providing opportunities to get involved, and opening up Parliament – to ensure there is greater engagement in the democratic life of the country.”

Notes:

• Founded in 1944, the Hansard Society is a non-partisan research and education charity working in the UK and around the world to promote democracy and strengthen parliaments.
• The information in this year’s Audit of Political Engagement is based on a Political Engagement Poll undertaken by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Hansard Society. The findings are based on a total of 1,771 face-to-face interviews with adults aged 18+ conducted between 2 December 2016 and 15 January 2017, which have then been weighted to the national population profile of Great Britain.