: Depoliticisation As An Effective Governing Technique: Comparing Policy Areas in Britain

Depoliticisation is a style of governing whereby governmental elites attempt to reduce the partisan character of decision-making. Politicians sometimes limit their influence and discretion by agreeing to abide by explicit rules or targets. Alternatively, they devolve responsibility for policy onto independent bodies at arm’s length from government. While depoliticisation has become a popular way of explaining the British policy process, the question of whether depoliticisation techniques in different sectors vary in their effectiveness has been neglected. This project represents the first attempt to address this gap in the literature by comparing three cases of depoliticisation that have generated diverse reactions.