Comments such as those of the Lord Chancellor, quoted above, in which he warns about British democracy and appeals for engaged citizens have not been a common feature of British political discourse until relatively recently. For much of the twentieth century British democracy was assumed to be healthy. Furthermore, the term ‘citizen’ appeared to be inappropriate in the British context. The British were more likely to be dutiful and respectful subjects rather than engaged citizens.

There are numerous reasons, both political and social, why British democracy and citizenship have become important features of contemporary political debate. These include membership of the European Union, the introduction of human rights legislation, the devolution of powers within the state, the increasingly heterogeneous nature of the population, the greater movement of populations across state boundaries, concerns about the prevalence of anti-social behaviour, and the threats to both personal safety and personal liberties arising from international terrorism.