Association News
Think Tank: Manifesto Matters
May 8, 2017 - Association News
It can’t have escaped your notice that an election is again in full swing and we are all eagerly awaiting the publication of the party manifestos. This has spurred numerous trade associations to publish their own versions, and we have already highlighted two – from the Soil Association, and the Creative Industries Federation – in this edition of Association News. Both are thought provoking documents, and no doubt we will feature more in subsequent editions. But, the question is, are the candidates really listening, or are they too bound up in party politics to take our views on board? A cynic might say that, with the exception of the CBI and their ilk, most trade association manifestos are unlikely to influence government, and are more an exercise in profile building – designed to reassure members that they wield ‘influence’- than an instrument for meaningful change? What is your experience?
Are you inclined to rational and evidence based government and legislation?
The Open Data Institute works to build a strong, fair and sustainable data economy in which data gets to the people who need it. They believe that openness is a vital mechanism to create a data economy that works for everyone, stating, ‘We are a global organisation but our headquarters are in the UK. The UK’s practices – particularly around data – are followed worldwide, so we want to get data to people to help them make informed decisions on who to vote for in the UK general election.’
They propose a number of data ideas for political manifestos based around sentences that they would like to see in the party manifestos. What do you think?
Michael Hoare
©2017 M J Hoare
