As I mentioned earlier this week, I spent Monday morning at the House of the People citizens' assembly, discussing wealth, inequality, taxation, and how we might improve the well-being of people in our society, which is the topic we were asked to address.
Steve Keen, my co-presenter, and I had no involvement in the deliberations of those who attended our session. I think that was entirely appropriate. It was essential that they had the right to ignore absolutely anything that we said. However, it seems that we were listened to. The press release now put out by The House of the People said:
The outcome is a People's Charter, which has 5 top priorities for political action. The full report will be released in due course. Here are the headlines:
- Tax wealth by removing tax loopholes and closing tax havens
- Slash political corruption by banning lobbying, gifting, and second jobs in politics
- Establish a Future Generations Act which priorities people and nature over GDP
- Implement an immediate embargo on all arms, trade and support for Israel and other countries which violate international law
- Grant councils power to repurchase disused homes and protect renters' rights
It is being proposed that a national Citizens' Assembly, like the House of the People and with power of legislation, should replace the House of Lords as an antidote to failing democracy in the UK. There is to be a second sitting of the House of the People in 2026.
A full report with the 5 priorities and all other agreed proposals will be released by Assemble, the grassroots democracy organisation who organised the event. The 5 priorities in full are:
- Tax wealth by removing tax loopholes and closing tax havens: ending pension tax subsidies; charging the equivalent of NI on investment as income over £5,000 a year; apply VAT to banking services.
- Strengthen and enforce anti-corruption laws; prohibit lobbying, gifting and second jobs in politics.
- A Future Generation Act – Implement a first principle act that ensures all government policy prioritises well-being, sustainability, and nature over GDP for all current and future generations.
- Immediate total embargo on arms, trade and support for all countries that are in violation of international law, with immediate priority to be given to Israel.
- Long term decommodification of housing, ensuring renters rights; councils repurchasing disused housing/empty homes/holiday homes to repurpose and build green council housing; enshrining structural laws without loopholes; and implementing rent increase caps.
All of the final proposals will be included in the full report. Some of these key proposals include:
- A legal constitution which provides the people of Britain & Northern Ireland with the power to decide when to start or join a war.
- Arrest, trial and sentence for those complicit in genocide abroad and in the UK.
- Guaranteed basic income for all.
- Remove the principle of free movement of capital through introducing capital controls.
- End fuel poverty through a universal free quota of green energy after which the cost of energy progressively increases
- Urgently enact strict AI regulation.
- Democratise the honours system.
Much, but not all, of the economic thinking reflected in that statement does appear to have been influenced in some way or other by Steve or me.
In particular, the tax suggestions are close to much of my thinking, whilst Steve's comments on guaranteeing basic income (as opposed to universal basic income, or a job guarantee) are in there.
I will be interested to see how this develops but so far I am encouraged by the processes of interaction that took place, and as I previously noted, the open-mindedness, diligence and willingness of those who took part.
I remain of the opinion that a citizens' assembly can only be advisory. I do not think that they can have any other role. However, if participants are carefully selected from those who demonstrate aptitude and willingness, then I now believe there can be a benefit from them in an advisory capacity.
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I would vote for that
If I were to make two comments
1. Andy Wightman and others have been working on proposals for ‘Compulsory Sale’ of unused/derelict/mismanaged land and property in Scotland. It has as far as I can see it a number of advantages in particular in connection with ‘commercial’ property where valuation is much more difficult and prevents Local Authorities being lumbered with sites they have no obvious use for.
2. Why do we need an Honours System at all? Ireland seems to do perfectly well without one.
Somewhat heartening and I totally agree about the advisory bit which should have some sort of constitutional underpinning.
Compared with our lumbering and dysfunctional party political system it’s interesting that 100 regular and representative people, properly supported, can create and agree so much sound and clear policy thinking so quickly and transparent.
People’s Assemblies evidence that new tools are available to manage democracy.
That’s very impressive.
Was there any measurement of the opinions people had when they arrived, to give an idea of how many minds were changed during the day?
Even if the answer is “no”, do you have any comment on that?
I genuinely don’t know
Count my vote. How can or will this be used to influence policies made in Government?
Oh how heartening, thank you to you and Steve Keen for doing this, as well as those who did the assembly
Is proportional representation covered in the charter?
Only if you can see it in the linked document
One thing that hasn’t come from you – but is a view shared by the current Labour government – is that finding ways of raising tax comes ahead of making proposals for legislation and spending.
But fair enough, and as you point out, their job was to make their own decision on priorities and not copy someone else’s.
On Earth Overshoot Day, nothing could have cheered me up so much as reading
“A Future Generations Act”.
I can now face going back to trying to explain to all those Americans on Facebook who don’t even understand the principle, let alone how they can help.
https://overshoot.footprintnetwork.org/newsroom/press-release-2025-english/
“Remove the principle of free movement of capital through introducing capital controls.
Trivial – exchange controls were abolished in 1979 by an “order in council” (almost one of the first things the ghastly Thatcher did). Negate the order in council and exchange controls (& thus a partial control of capital) come into force. It was Thatchers nod to those caught by Customs leaving the Uk with bags of money – mostly to buy houses in France.
Sounds good and most encouraging among all the doom & gloom.
Well done to all concerned.
Just a simple question, Richard: the House of the People talks of the UK as an entity, notably in its statement “A legal constitution which provides the people of Britain & Northern Ireland with the power to decide when to start or join a war”.
Are they not aware that over 50% of Scots are now in favour of independence and in Wales there is growing support for it too? Would it not be more appropriate if the House of the People were to advocate the right of devolved nations to secede from the UK if a majority of their people are in favour of it? After all, an International Treaty on N Ireland’s future already gives their people that right if they so desire, but Westminster continues to deny that right to the people of Scotland and Wales.
Apologies for raising this topic once more, but people living in the devolved nations are beyond fed up with the lazy assumption that England = UK and the devolved nations are irrelevant. We watch in dismay as the predominantly English parliament demolishes the economy, politics and governance, while also failing to address the gross violation of human rights in Gaza, the West Bank and the concomitant outlawing of British citizens for protesting about it.
London is not very aware of Scotland, Ken. 98% have never been very far north of Milton Keynes, unless it is the Lake District. I am not kidding.
You make a good point, and I am not responsible!
I get what you’re saying Richard: In Scotland most people (with the exception of the far-right) are very familiar with the fact that ’London is not very aware of Scotland’: we see it and hear it daily in UK Gov pronouncements and MSM and that only increases our sensitivity to their lies, distortions and undermining of our history and culture. It was ever thus since 1707 and is widely resented by a large majority here.
I suspect the same applies in Wales and it’s therefore essential that both our devolved nations develop our own “Houses of the People” and that all three “Houses” operate transparently in conjunction with each other to avoid future clashes (I’m excluding N Ireland here for now as it has a viable get-out option). I’d argue that England’s “House” will function more effectively on such a basis rather than assuming it can act on behalf of Scotland and Wales, or simply ignoring them as so often happens in Westminster.
As for your “non-responsibility” I know you were at the forum to provide information and guidance on general economic topics. It’s equally clear from your blogs here that you support the devolved nations’ right to secede from the UK, so I don’t think you’re “responsible”, or indeed irresponsible for that matter.
I believe in the right of separate nations to govern themselves.
I asked myself a simple question a long time ago, and that was where would I have been at Easter 1916 in Dublin, and I suspect it would have been in the central post office fighting for a cause that was obviously right. How could I ever deny others that right to have what is undoubtedly theirs?
My friend from London said he was going to the north for a holiday.
He was going to Norwich.
Part of me died that day.
🙂
Apologies for going off-topic: Trump’s private visit to Scotland starts tomorrow and promises to be an interesting (maybe arresting?) event. Wee Ginger Dug has a strong view, shared by a substantial majority of Scots, at https://weegingerdug.wordpress.com/
I like my colleague’s opinions, and agree with most of them, including on this.
Only 57% of English people disapprove of Trump?! Who are these 43% and why do they not see what the rest of us see? They really do seem to occupy a mirror world to our own, as Naomi Cline pointed out.
Councils already have compulsory purchase order powers. They can, if they choose to, force the purchase of all disused and neglected properties for building energy efficient housing under the grounds of it being in public interest. However they lack the funds to do this and now in a lot of councils the calibre of councillors to do it.
Your outdoor seminar during the break was fun!
Thanks!
I enjoyed that discussion.