Form a Citizens Assembly to advise on constitutional changes related to the EU exit
The UK has voted to leave the EU in the historic “Brexit” referendum of June 2016. Sixteen million people voted to remain but the majority, seventeen million people, voted to leave. What can be done to resolve this division?
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Since the divisive result was announced, there have been various calls for drastic action. The political landscape is changing on a daily basis. The only thing that can be universally agreed is that uncertainty is causing anxiety. It's unclear how to proceed without making millions of people unhappy.
I propose that a citizens assembly should be formed to advise the government on constitutional matters arising from the referendum result. A citizens assembly is a body of people to make decisions. They are selected at random from the population and are interviewed and trained prior to service to ensure that they are objective and open minded, somewhat like a jury. As an advisory body, their findings would not be binding as law.
Citizens assemblies have been formed before, in Canada, the Netherlands and Ireland, to advise on constitutional changes. Experimental citizens assemblies were convened in Sheffield and Southampton in 2015.
Let's take advantage of the country's renewed interest in politics by forming this citizens assembly. If done correctly, a citizens assembly will help rejuvenate the political process throughout the United Kingdom.
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