Fishburn Hedges

20.08.2010

The Coalition’s commitment to greater transparency started positively enough with a flurry of public consultation appeals appearing on nearly every government website, such as the Treasury's 'Spending Challenge'.

Yet attempts to "crowd-source" policy are being seriously questioned. Ministers have already been accused of rejecting every idea put forward on the Coalitions' new programme. The government's flagship website, 'Your Freedom' meanwhile, has been littered with offensive postings.

Despite these misgivings though, communication is no longer one-way. By harnessing the web and new social media technologies, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have recognised a long-held desire by the general public for greater two-way dialogue with its elected representatives.

Yet, by drawing on collective knowledge and expertise, this could be seen as not only using citizens to astutely improve both policy and the provision of services, but also as nurturing a sense of public buy-in that could be claimed as an implied mandate for future change. Helpful when there are difficult decisions to be made.

To be fair this isn't just a one-way mirror, however. Access to data makes it easier to hold political parties and public bodies to account, creating a healthier culture of transparency and accountability.

Trust in politics has eroded, and people need reassurance that politicians are acting with best intentions. With the first move made, citizen participation, e-democracy and ever-increasing open government are here to stay. There's no turning back.

Posted by Holly Rouse