Evidence Matters
15 September 2016
We are making a case to parliamentarians, ministers and officials that evidence matters to the public, and that we expect politicians and civil servants to discuss it openly.
Contrary to the views of some commentators, that the public only responds to emotional rhetoric and political soundbites, we’ve seen a very different picture, of a public that cares about evidence. People have been telling us why evidence matters to them, on subjects as diverse as air pollution, childcare, the safety of military personnel and cause of death investigations.
For fifteen years, we’ve been fighting against the attitude that evidence is for the in-crowd, where frank discussion of evidence is kept behind closed doors, in private clubs and senior common rooms. For evidence to play a healthy role in society, we must insist that authorities discuss it openly.
On Tuesday 1st November together with individuals and organisations from a huge range of sectors across the UK, we’re going to Parliament to tell parliamentarians, ministers and officials that evidence matters to the public in so many different ways.
Some of you have been in touch to tell us why evidence matters to you, your members, readers or communities. We need more of the voices of the thousands of people we have worked with to take to parliament in six weeks. We will have a compilation of views from many walks of life, with a large group of people reading theirs out in person.
You can make this possible by taking just a few minutes to tell us why evidence matters to you. Please, please, please fill in this form (it’s short!). Specific examples are particularly valuable.
Source: Sense About Science