Debates about the state of British democracy in recent years have often drawn attention to a
decline in conventional political participation and rising levels of political disengagement.
Such concerns are founded on evidence of reduced turnouts in national or local elections,
declining membership of political parties, and the low standing of politicians who suffer the
opprobrium of sizeable sections of the public. Whilst some suggest opportunities created via
the newer communication channels of social media indicate continuing interest in politics …

Gordon Brown established the Youth Citizenship Commission in 2008 to investigate how to
increase the involvement of young people in British democracy. Although recommendations
were taken forward by the previous government, youth disengagement remains a problem.
In the first of a new series on Democratic Audit, Jonathan Tonge and Andy Mycock introduce
a set of proposals from leading political scientists, addressing the need for practical steps to
reconnect young people to politics.