Breaking down barriers to political engagement

Millions of people regularly engage with petitions, using them to make their voices heard in parliaments. However, these are rarely used by seldom-heard groups. Professor Leston-Bandeira’s research partnered with community groups to explore why.

The project concluded that to expand the use of petitioning to seldom-heard groups, parliament needs to communicate in a more citizen-focused way: making procedures clearer, thinking about how people experience the process, and actively promoting the value of petitioning. Critically, petitions need to be supported with education to ensure a more equitable use across all citizen groups.

Impact

• Partnership for knowledge exchange: partnering with the Petitions teams of the UK and Welsh Parliaments
• Community collaboration: focus groups with petitioners and non-petitioners via community organisations in Leeds and across Wales, supplemented by interviews with representatives of community organisations, and a community-led event in Leeds. 

Key information

• Major funders: Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)
• Partners and collaborators: UK Parliament, Welsh Parliament (Senedd Cymru)
• Disciplines: politics, public engagement
• Investigators: Professor Cristina Leston-Bandeira, Dr Blagovesta Tacheva.

Keywords: parliament and citizens, public engagement, petitions, parliamentary reform