Last month, British Council Scotland welcomed a group of Vietnamese politicians and civil servants keen to learn more from Scotland’s new style of accessible politics.

The delegation spent one week in the UK, two and half days of which were in Scotland.  

During this time they received briefings on a number of parliamentary issues. The Scottish Executive’s Robert Dunn covered the history of devolution, while Charlie Jeffrey, Professor of Politics at Edinburgh University, presented a more in-depth look at the ramifications of the “new politics” on Scotland’s citizens.

The group also heard from the Scottish Electoral Commission, on how it encourages citizens to engage with politics; from the Scottish Civic Forum, on the role of civic society; and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, on its principles of power-sharing, accountability, access and participation, and equal opportunities.

The delegation requested the visit to inform plans for political reform in Vietnam. The Office of the National Assembly (ONA) is looking to improve the representative function of individual MPs and of parliament as a whole. Among other initiatives, the ONA is trying to strengthen the effectiveness of the 'Offices of MPs delegation in provinces', which were created in 2002 and are similar in role and function to MPs constituency offices in the UK. Efforts are currently required to improve the way in which these Offices are used as a mechanism for interacting and developing relationships with citizens and voters at a local level.

The delegates made time for a visit to the Scottish Parliament, including a tour, and the opportunity to meet MSPs and attend First Minister’s Questions. They also met Conor Snowden, Constituency Organiser for Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South. He described his experiences of managing an MSP’s office, planning surgeries and acting as a source of information and advice for constituents.

Find out more about our work in democratic participation. For further queries, contact Lucy.Young@britishcouncil.org or telephone +44 (0)131 524 5715.

If you would like to arrange a visit, contact Charlotte.Ball@britishcouncil.org or telephone +44 (0)131 524 5718.