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Hybrid event

Citizens and the constitution: education and engagement

In this event, we explored the current state of public understanding of – and interest in – constitutional issues.

Tatton Spiller, Founder of Simple Politics; Rebecca McKee, IfG senior researcher; Catherine McKinnell MP and Alan Renwick, Professor of Democratic Politics at University College London, on stage at the IfG.
Panellists (from left to right) Tatton Spiller, Rebecca McKee, Catherine McKinnell MP and Alan Renwick discussed what can be done to ensure that constitutional change has public support and legitimacy.

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Do citizens understand – or even care about – how the UK constitution works and the role it plays in making government work for them? If they don’t, then what can be done to ensure that the constitution and constitutional change has public support and legitimacy? 

In this event, we explored the current state of public understanding of – and interest in – constitutional issues. We looked at good practice for citizen engagement. And we considered what can be done to cultivate an engaged and empowered citizenry for the future. This event was part of the IfG and Bennett Institute Review of the UK Constitution.  

To explore these questions, we assembled an expert panel including: 

  • Catherine McKinnell MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee
  • Alan Renwick, Professor of Democratic Politics at University College London and Deputy Director of UCL's Constitution Unit
  • Tatton Spiller, Founder of Simple Politics 

The event was chaired by Rebecca McKee, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Government.

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Institute for Government

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