Graham Allen - Citizens’ Assemblies: Restoring trust in our politics

In democracies across the planet there have in recent years been over 750 successful examples of the Citizens Assembly process. In a largely gloomy outlook, they are modern democracy’s greatest success story.

Our near neighbours in Ireland have been foremost in proving the worth of listening first to our citizens. They have run 6 nationwide Citizens Assemblies starting remarkably by finding a consensus on the sensitive issue of abortion, and in recent weeks offering a series of sensible, doable recommendations to Government on the tricky issue of drugs policy. There is nothing in the UK water [murky though it is] that stops UK citizens -encouraged by a creative and innovative new government - from making similar regular contribution.

The Citizens Assembly motto could well be “give us your hardest problem”. Issues which defeat conventional politics by their difficulty and complexity can be independently and thoughtfully deliberated upon by a 100 people representing a microcosm of the nation, carefully producing citizen created common ground. They do so without any of the tribal baggage, the whipping, the electoral short termism and media frenzy that has inhibited political parties and governments from making progress on issues such as social care, assisted dying, the role of the second chamber and many others. In the process, we all as citizens grow from being passive spectators to active players.

After careful deliberation the citizens don’t dictate but offer their gift of recommendations to Parliament and Government for their consideration, amendment and decision. Hence our slogan of “Give us a say, bring the country together, strengthen our democracy”. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Parliament and Local Authorities have all used the legitimacy of Citizens’ Assemblies deliberations to help solve significant problems.

In an increasingly fraught and partisan atmosphere putting citizens back at the heart of democracy will replace division & antagonism with a meaningful partnership between elected representatives, the Government and the citizens who elect them.

This year UK citizens gave legitimacy to a new Government to meet its promise to reestablish trust in politics and democracy. It can do so by placing Citizens’ Assemblies at the heart of that project. The time to seize that opportunity has come. If not now, when? If not us, who?

Further information on the work of the Commission on increasing citizens' engagement with political power can be found here.

Graham Allen

Commissioner, Commission on Political Power

Convenor of the Citizens’ Convention on UK Democracy www.ccukdemocracy.org

Chair of the Select Committee on Political and Constitutional Reform 2010-2015