Digital Democracy Mini Summit
By Jeffrey Peel – We have added a new lunch-time panel to the agenda at CITIZEN 2012. Chaired by John Wells and Allison Hornery of Gov 2.0 Radio, this session will include four digital democracy specialists – each occupying different positions on the digital policy spectrum. They will debate, among other things, how government needs to address the political engagement malaise at the heart of civil society – and the role that technology and the Internet needs to play. The Digital Democracy session will start at 1.00pm (during the lunch break at CITIZEN 2012) on June 28.
The panel will include Luke Bozier – who created a few waves in the Westminster village when he defected from the Labour Party to the Conservative Party in January. Bozier is the former eCampaigns Manager for Labour. Now he runs Municipo – a start-up business “designed to improve the way councils communicate every day with thousands of citizens”. He also undertakes consulting work for political Parties, government agencies, local government, and charities.
Also on the panel will be Anthony Zacharzewski of the Democratic Society (Demsoc) – a membership organisation working “to build better democracy, in which informed citizens and a more open state govern together. A democracy where government is transparent and reaches decisions in public. Where citizens take part in ways that work for them. Where politics and media are flexible and collaborative rather than closed and confrontational.” Anthony is a former Civil Servant with wide expertise in the heart of Government – and led strategy and policy work in an urban unitary authority.
Paul Evans co-ordinates the Political Innovation project. With a background in print media and politics, Paul moved into digital projects in 1999, specialising in the development of a range of early online democracy and public policy innovations. “The Political Innovation project is now working to build a wider understanding of new interactive and participative forms of policymaking, testing alternatives to, and developing a critique of many of the cruder forms of direct democracy and the cloaked agendas that underpin many self-styled ‘transparency’ campaigns.”
Tim Flagg is founder and group secretary at Bright Blue, an independent campaigning group that champions fresh thinking within the Conservative party to promote greater fairness and social justice. Tim has worked in marketing for 14 years and specialises in launching brands globally and has particular expertise in the educational, mobile and tech sectors.
The Digital Democracy Mini Summit, like the rest of CITIZEN 2012, will be live web broadcast on June 28. You can register here for the free live stream or to purchase tickets to attend the event.
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