By Graeme Cleland and Graeme Strachan

POLITICIANS ARE failing to engage the Scottish public—according to a report published by the Scottish Executive.

The study revealed few felt well- informed about the work done by their political representatives and showed that many people knew little about the work of political or government institutions. But in response, local MPs, MSPs and MEPs said they were doing everything they could to make their constituents aware of their role.

The survey gathered information on public attitudes to, and experiences of, issues related to civic participation. It asked the public about their knowledge of the work of various types of community representative, including their MPs, MSPs and MEPs.

It found people knew most about their local councillors’ work—but had little or no knowledge of what their MEPs did.

Most people surveyed indicated they had no contact with any elected representative in the previous year.

The survey also highlighted the difficulty in getting young people involved in politics. The young were less likely to have been involved in any activity or campaigns aimed at influencing decision-making and less likely to trust elected representatives to make decisions for them.

People living in urban deprivation areas seem equally disenchanted with their elected representatives. In the most deprived areas only a fifth (19%) knew about the work of the local MP, compared with two fifths (39%) in the least deprived. Those in more deprived areas were less involved, less informed, and less likely to identify anything that would encourage them to get involved in any form of civic participation than people living in rural areas. Just over half felt there was little point in taking part because the decisions have been made already.

In response, Dundee West MP Jim McGovern said he and Kate MacLean, MSP for Dundee West, were doing everything in their power to make constituents aware of their role. “We try to get out into the community so people see what we are doing and make our presence felt. For instance, last Saturday I was at an open day in Hilltown,” he said. “We are also moving our office from Blackscroft to Tay Square, which will allow people to find us easily.”

Mr McGovern feels people know more than ever about their local politicians thanks to the BBC Parliament channel available on digital and satellite TV.

He said, “I’ve noticed a surprising number of people saying they know when I’ve been in the chamber at Westminster because they have been watching the Parliament channel.

Dundee-based MEP Ian Hudghton (SNP) believes a lack of media coverage is the reason the public is less informed of the work being carried out by EU politicians.

Mr Hudghton is to publish a special edition of Irish journalist Dan O’Sullivan’s book, Simply . . . The EU . . . a guide for the bewildered, in a bid to make people more aware of how the EU works. “It’s no secret that the public have a shortage of knowledge of what MEPs do,” he said.