Political party membership numbers are steadily falling, reports Liberal Conspiracy.

• Charlie Beckett discusses whether journalists create coups
• Paul Evans on political transparency

Involve have published a short new guide to principles of deliberative engagement in policy making. Download it in PDF here.

David Lammy, the MP for Tottenham, gave a talk at the Fabian Society a little while back, on what lessons the left can learn from the American elections. One section of his speech is devoted to widening participation in political activities, and is worth a read. The summary line:

I think we have been far too cautious in finding new ways to lower the barriers to involvement in politics itself.

• It’s Belgium’s National Day
• An article in the ESRC’s Society Now (pdf - article on page 7) claims private ownership of media outlets harms public knowledge of current affairs
• Dave Briggs was at the same civil service blogging event as Ingrid.

• A couple of interesting articles on management of discussion in online communities:
  • Dave Briggs
  • Ed Mitchell
• A campaign to have a referendum on an elected Mayor for Bristol is underway

ePolitix’s July opinion survey is here.

• The Apathy Party wants Americans’ votes in 2008
• Happy Bastille Day for yesterday (though 26 August is perhaps more democratic)
• Le Monde reports on French ideas about Ireland re-running their referendum

• Posters about freedom in Florida, a slideshow at the New York Times
• Peter Facey of Charter 88 fame on the engagement documents published yesterday, at the Guardian

• A strange referendum in California reported by the BBC
• Stories and links about tomorrow’s Engagement White Paper, at PageFlake
• Yet another ‘vote for us and we will have referenda on how we vote’ party. FreeGovernment.org