Daily: Why do politicians get stuff wrong? – Demos’s Polly Mackenzie on making better policy

Politicians don’t always give us what we want. So why do they get their decision-making so wrong? Polly Mackenzie is the Chief Executive of Demos and former Director of Policy to Deputy PM Nick Clegg. She talks to Ros Taylor about her report, The Humble Policy Maker, why we always think we’re right, how citizens can participate without dull consultations…and how a mouldy orange reveals what’s wrong with the technocracy today.

• “If you tell people not to act in their self-interest, you'll end up with a whole load more policy problems on your hands.”
• “The police is not the most important thing in keeping crime down, but our relationships with each other in society.”
• “Being a citizen is a big, hard job. It's only by participating that we can build up the democratic skillset that enables us to compromise.”
• “It's so easy to spend your life with people who are just like you.” 

Presented by Ros Taylor. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers: Jelena Sofronijevic and Jacob Archbold. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production

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