Archive for January, 2010:

By Ian Tennant, Fleishman-Hillard Public Affairs, London
In December 2009, the leaders of the main UK parties finally struck a deal with the BBC, ITV and Sky to air three televised live debates during the 2010 General Election campaign. Televised debates have been on the agenda for decades, but Prime Minister after Prime Minister – including the very telegenic Tony Blair turned them down time and again. Their reasoning was that head to head debates between party leaders was commonplace already in the UK thanks to its Parliamentary system of democracy; the Prime Minister fields quest…

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By Rebecca Lury, Fleishman-Hillard Public Affairs
The Speaker’s conference recently concluded its investigation into parliamentary representation. What they found may not have been revolutionary: the UK needs more women, black and minority ethnic, and disabled people in parliament. But its conclusions only reinforce that action is needed now.
The report considered the introduction of quotas for women and suggested that there might be a case for making all women shortlists compulsory. But is this the right way to successfully increase the number of women in Parliament?
Women face bo…

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