We should let the government actually do stuff

Think tank Demos proposes a roadmap’ to embed public participation in policy making.

Demos suggests Citizens’ Assemblies to tackle big issues like migration and climate change.

It also suggests the immediate creation of five Citizens’ Panels ’, each composed of a hundred randomly selected, and demographically representative, members of the public.

Part of the promises of greater “participation’ is that it is a mechanism to find consensus.

But I don’t think it’s clear whether talking even more about some problems can actually build a consensus in the first place.

Even if you have a persuasive argument on paper and can persuade people to “think beyond their interests” during a meeting, the reality is that what matters more is our material circumstances.

Chart shows how trust scores have been relatively stable since Coalition years .

But could it just be that the most recent government has been a bit shit? People would be able to see that politicians aren’t just bullshitters and that they’re actually changing lives.

If Labour deliver what they have promised by the next election, I’ll be surprised if trust score goes further down.