Simon Burall

Simon Burall is director of Involve, an organisation that designs and promotes processes for public participation in government.

E-petitions aren't enough - Britain should learn from the 'Oregon model' of citizen juries

For the first time in Britain, the public has used e-petitions to successfully push for Parliamentary debates - but we could go much further. We need only take some lessons from across the Atlantic, where Oregon has set up citizen juries and embedded direct democracy at the heart of government.

By Simon Burall and Janice Thomson

/ 22 Oct 2011

Local government's 'duty to involve' the English is being scrapped

Today, local authorities in England have a 'duty to involve' citizens in decision-making. Soon this will be scrapped, leaving only the 'duty to consult'. What is the difference, and what does this mean for English democracy?

By Simon Burall

/ 22 Sep 2011

How does local government join the Big Society?

The government has been very clear in its vision that a smaller state is needed to liberate society. But how should local government adapt in order to interact with the Big Society?

By Simon Burall

/ 22 Sep 2010

MyAid or WhyAid?

A new UK government proposal to allow the public to determine how development aid is spent has come under heavy criticism, but if implemented correctly MyAid could harness the knowledge of citizens and help build support for rising aid budgets.

By Simon Burall

/ 6 Sep 2010

When "local" can’t happen locally

Central government has a critical and active role to play if Prime Minister David Cameron's "Big Society" idea is to be successful in the UK.

By Simon Burall

/ 12 Aug 2010

In whose name? Democracy and British foreign policy

The decision by Tony Blair's government to join the United States-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003 dramatically demonstrated the weakness of the United Kingdom parliament's

By Stuart Weir and Simon Burall

/ 23 Jan 2006