What
is The Information Hub?
We
need to change the parameters of politics, to enable
a renewal of the immediacy, relevancy and vibrancy
of democratic politics, by providing transparency,
insight, clarity and understanding for politicians,
for civil servants and – perhaps most importantly
–for the electorate.
The
key here will be clarity and simplicity in all communication,
whilst backed up with comprehensive research and data.
The
starting point will be the establishment of Talk Together
as an Information Hub to collate – and perhaps
also commission – research and policy intelligence,
and to make that information available in a way which
is accessible, meaninigful and engaging.
The
first stage is to bring together the best information,
techniques and systems: from organisations already
focussed on the impact of different policy choices
and decision making structures; from academic institutions;
and from other intelligence gathering organisations.
A range of cooperative, collaborative partnerships
with other organisations will maximize input and effectiveness,
and avoid the waste of unnecessary competition and
replication. As required, this will be supplemented
by specifically commissioned additional research and
intelligence gathering, to fill any gaps, as well
as open discussion and analysis.
The
Information Hub will not simply replicate what is
already being done, though it will draw upon existing
expertise and insight. Where the Copenhagen
Consensus Center has a transnational, development
focus, the focus for the Information Hub will be national
(albeit with a clear understanding of the regional
and global interconnectedness and interdependency
of the modern world). Where the Blavatnik
School of Government has a clear (and quite proper)
focus on the education and development of its students,
with implications for government arising from its
work, the Information Hub will be focussed exclusively
on the information and inputs which will enable change
in the way in which governments behave and in their
effectiveness.
The
focus will also be on the true lifecycle of decision
making, not merely on pressures such as media attention
or electoral cycles. In turn, this will make it possible
to consider the real impact of finance and other inputs,
and to consider the sort of society and economy we
really want, and can afford.
The
proposal is the initial launch of a UK Information
Hub, with national and international support, input
and intelligence gathering, to act as a model from
which other countries can benefit in future. It is
important that the UK Information Hub should, from
the start, be internationally engaged as well as nationally
focussed. |
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