The Fox Report: Democracy unmasked - United Kingdom – but for how long?
Patrick Chalmers reflects on the health of democracy in Britain. He looks forward to the Scottish referendum, sits in on a Holyrood debate on growth and hears how 38 Degrees and YouTube are the envy of conventional politicians
Public trust in British politicians and the institutions they inhabit is in tatters – with more than half the electorate wondering whether to bother turning out to vote. Yet, despite public disdain for those thrown up by the Westminster version of representative democracy, many Britons are far from apathetic about politics itself. Moves underway in Scotland imply an inevitable transformation to UK politics. Just how radical a change lies ahead for the Union? Scotland’s eligible resident adults, including anyone aged sixteen years or older who is registered to vote, will soon get the chance to wield huge influence over the future of British politics. On Thursday 18 September 2014 those who do turn up to vote will answer the simple yes-or-no question: ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’
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