WRITTEN ON May 12th, 2005 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Uncategorized

What a pleasure it was today to be invited by the government officials responsible for e-democracy policy for a “critical friends” open discussion. We just brainstormed what NGOs can and can’t offer, and what government does well, should do better and by it’s nature can’t do.

We may not have changed the world, but those present (DCA officials, Hansard Soc, I-Can and MySociety) had a lot to offer.

Ideal government engages with its critical friends. It learns from people who are passionate and pleased to be listened to, without having any commercial axe to grind. It’s not the same as caving in to single-interest pressure groups at all. It’s a sign of growing maturity.