Our work on the 2024 general election
The UK general election takes place on 4 July 2024. The RSS as a charity and membership body is committed to a world with data at the heart of understanding and decision-making. During the election campaign we will be promoting this vision to the UK political parties.
Statistics in Action: A manifesto for empowering society through data
We have published our manifesto, ‘Statistics in Action: A manifesto for empowering society through data’, which outlines three key areas where we believe the next government should focus its efforts to unlock the potential benefits of data in the UK. The three areas are:
- Better data for informed, transparent decision-making
- Balancing AI innovation and regulation
- Improving public understanding of statistics and data
Our asks of the next UK government, we believe will drive productivity and economic growth through investment in data skills and infrastructure, build understanding of the major international challenges of AI, climate change and pandemics, and strengthen democracy by providing citizens with the ability to hold governments to account.
Read the manifesto in full
RSS guide to statistics on social media: sound or suspicious?
We have produced a guide to help people think critically about the figures they encounter on social media in the run-up to the general election. The guide covers ten key areas to help people assess whether the figures are trustworthy or require some further investigation.
We cover the questions to ask, including what the source of the statistics is, how they are described, and how they are presented graphically. We provide topical examples to illustrate common issues including ‘cherry-picking’ oversimplification, and misleading charts. We also include tips on how to ‘sense check’ figures in a fast-paced social media environment.
Read the guide