"Public disaffection with the state of democracy in the UK today is high. That matters, as it harms the effective working of the democratic system. Over the last three years, a team at the UCL Constitution Unit has therefore conducted detailed research into these public attitudes. Comprising two large-scale surveys of the UK population, and a Citizens' Assembly on Democracy in the UK, the research has been designed both to to provide a broad overview of public perceptions and to drill deeper into what people think when they have had a chance to reflect in detail. This final report from the project draws together these three strands of research and sets out the findings. Contrary to what is sometimes said, the public in the UK do care about the health of the democratic system. They want politics to be honest and politicians to act with integrity in pursuit of the public interest. They perceive deficits on all these points at present, and want action to address them. Given their low trust in politicians, they want a robust system of checks and balances, with parliament, the courts, regulators, civil servants, the media and the public themselves all placing some limits on what holders of executive office can do. They also want action to enable more effective public participation. The report's last chapter reflects on the implications of these findings for policy-makers. Fostering greater honesty in political discourse requires politicians, campaigners, and those in the media to reflect on their responsibilities. Proposals already exist to strengthen parliament and regulators. Any moves to weaken the neutrality of the civil service, the ability of the courts to check abuses or the BBC's impartiality would not find public favour. While enabling effective and widespread public participation is hard, areas for further consideration include improved education, media coverage that better enables understanding, and greater use of deliberative processes such as citizens' assemblies."-- Taken from back of report.