Unlock Democracy
Unlock Democracy was formed from a merger of Charter88 and the New Politics Network, although the term 'Unlock Democracy' has also been used to describe a joint campaign of these two organizations before the merger 'promoting democratic renewal and active engagement in the political process'.
Unlock Democracy says it campaigns for:
- Fair, Open and Honest Elections
- Rights, Freedoms and a Written Constitution
- Stronger Parliament and Accountable Government
- Bringing Power Closer to the People
- A Culture of Informed Political Interest and Responsibility[1]
Unlock Democracy is a registered company No. 02440899.
Scottish lobbying draft bill
On 30 October 2015, the Scottish government published details of it's draft for a lobbying bill which outlines a code of conduct and a register for the industry. The draft has come under fire from both the lobbying industry and campaigners as not being extensive enough. Some of the most notable criticism came from Unlock Democracy's director Alexandra Runswick:
- 'Scotland's lobbyists will breathe a sigh of relief on reading this bill. The proposed register will cover only a fraction of the lobbying that takes place in and around Holyrood.The SNP said it wanted to make Scotland more transparent than the rest of the UK. Instead it has published a bill which is full of handy loopholes for lobbyists. With these proposals, the Government has wasted a golden opportunity to bring lobbying out into the open.'[2]
Unlock Democracy, along with Spinwatch and the Electoral Reform Society of Scotland have published a new report on lobbying Scotland, Holyrood Exposed: A Guide to Lobbying in Scotland
Office Address
Unlock Democracy 9 Cynthia Street Islington London N1 9JF[3]
References
Resources
- Press Release, Unlock Democracy will be at Labour Conference, Politics.co.uk, 25 Sep 2006.
- OpenCorporates: Unlock Democracy
