By Tim Hughes
Former Director (2017 to 2021)
From the transition out of lockdown to the terms of the economic stimulus, significant decisions will be taken over the coming weeks and months with consequences that will be felt for many years and decades.
What role can and should the public play in these decisions? How can we ensure that the Covid-19 response and recovery are democratic?
Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash
In a joint project, Involve and the Centre for the Study of Democracy at the University of Westminster will be exploring these questions. Specifically, we will explore the role that public participation and deliberation can / should play in the:
- Short term – for example, in scrutinising the decisions being made concerning the crisis response and determining the transition out of lockdown and other social distancing measures;
- Medium term – for example, in shaping the future after Covid-19, including the post-pandemic economic stimulus and social contract;
- Long term – for example, in learning the lessons from Covid-19, holding decision-makers to account and taking the necessary decisions to prevent a similar crisis in the future.
Over the coming weeks, we will be collecting and sharing contributions and facilitating online discussions to explore the opportunities and challenges of involving the public in the key decisions that lie ahead.
Get in touch if you would like to contribute.