Is the Government doing its research?
10th Jun 2011
"The Government is increasingly finding that its evidence-based policies are stalling in the face of unconsidered public opposition.
The Conservative Party embraced the idea of evidence-based policymaking in opposition and it was heralded as a responsible step forward in policymaking. Yet in its first year of government the Coalition has been forced to make a number of very public ‘u-turns’ on flagship policies.
Current notable examples include the NHS reforms and criminal justice policy, as well as the Forestry Commission Green Paper published earlier in the year.
In most cases the policy in question has been the subject of years of research and development in opposition.
In the context of the spending constraints the Government has tried to sell these policies on their financial strengths, but democracy means listening to heart as well as head. Public opposition is often based on ideology, or even just instinct.
Research cannot be done in a vacuum. In politics as in business, public opinion matters regardless of whether it is rational or evidenced. Like businesses, policymakers can't underestimate the value of good consumer research."