Dialling Up Democracy in the 21st Century: Pathways for Renewal

This policy working paper explores how democratic innovation can help renew trust, participation, and legitimacy in the UK’s democratic system. Building on earlier LPIP work on social value and community-centred innovation, it examines the social, institutional, and structural pressures currently facing democracy, particularly in the context of devolution and regional governance. Drawing on UK and international examples, the paper sets out five practical pathways for ‘dialling up democracy’ – from participatory budgeting and digital democracy to citizens’ assemblies, institutional openness, and new models of representation – arguing that democratic renewal is essential to inclusive growth, social cohesion, and regional innovation.

“If democracy is to be renewed rather than merely defended, we must expand the spaces where citizens can act, deliberate, and shape the public realm. Devolution only works if citizens have real oversight, transparency, and redress. So, what can we do? The answer is not to abandon democracy but to dial it up – to evolve it for a new century.”

Mark Swift

Local and regional policymakers, LPIPs, civic institutions, and community partners should embed democratic innovation into devolved governance – expanding participatory spaces, strengthening accountability, and co-creating policy with citizens to rebuild trust and legitimacy from the ground up.

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Meet the Author

Mark Swift is a serial social entrepreneur and Founder CEO of Wellbeing Enterprises CIC, one of the UK’s first Community Interest Companies established to improve health and wellbeing. As an LPIP Fellow at the University of Birmingham, he explores how social innovation and community-powered approaches can strengthen health equity and democratic renewal.

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Publications

Communities in Their Places Evidence Review

The LPIP Hub “Communities in their Places” evidence review shows that while communities are central to addressing local economic, social and environmental challenges, their ability to do so varies widely depending on policy frameworks, resources and local capacity. It highlights that “community” is a complex, overlapping concept, but strong social

Towards A Place-Based Qualitative Data Observatory

This research briefing responds to Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub work on data devolution, transparency, and place productivity. Building on this existing research, it argues that current UK data infrastructures do not yet accommodate the heterogeneous forms of qualitative data on which local, regional and national policymakers increasingly rely.

Outside-In: The Role of Social Entrepreneurs in Public Sector Transformation

This policy paper explores the role of social entrepreneurs as “outside-in” actors in public sector transformation. It argues that, in a period of profound institutional transition, public systems need to learn not only from within formal structures but also from actors operating at their boundaries. The briefing examines how social

Building Intergovernmental Capability Through Secondments: Lessons From Japan for the UK

This policy briefing explores how England’s devolution reforms could work more effectively by using staff secondments as a core part of the delivery system. Drawing on lessons from Japan’s structured, legally grounded approach, it shows how predictable and reciprocal staff movement can strengthen local capability, improve coordination across government tiers,