Study title

Two public opinion surveys were conducted. For the first, main survey, data was collected by YouGov from 1,517 participants between 17th and 21st November 2017. Participants were identified through YouGov's pre-existing panel of survey participants and were selected to produce a nationally representative sample for the UK population. This process involved panel members being sent a link to complete the survey. Only participants who answered all questions were included in the survey data. Participants who completed the questions in a time shorter than it would take to read the questions were excluded, resulting in a valid sample of 1,497 people (out of an initial sample of 1,517). The first survey comes in 4 parts: 1- Attitudes to parties, 2- Views and desires for party representation, 3- Views and desires for party participation, 4- Views and desires for party governance. A range of explanatory variables are also included for statistical analysis. A second, shorter survey was fielded via YouGov on 8th-9th of April 2019, and gained 1,692 valid responses. This was composed of 10 questions that explored views of specific political parties. The link between citizens and the state is the crux of democratic politics, yet it is crumbling. Numerous studies have diagnosed a crisis in representative politics with decreased participation and growing levels of distrust bringing the legitimacy of democratic institutions into doubt. For many a solution has been offered by digital technology, leading parties to embrace new digital campaigning software. To explore the capacity of digital innovations to renew democracy this study argues that we need to understand the nature of the 'disconnect' between parties and the people. As such, this study departs from traditional analyses of 'digital democracy' by focusing on public attitudes. Adapting the methodological approach used by Allen and Birch (2015) the project will discern how the public and parties conceive democratic linkage...