Citizen's Assemblies - a better way to solve constitutional issues

The UK has become no stranger to referendums. Since the 2010s, they have been wielded as a tool to resolve some of the nation’s biggest constitutional questions, from Scottish independence to Brexit. Yet, far from being a silver bullet for decision-making, referendums often generate division, misinformation, and, in some cases, even political paralysis. It raises the question—are referendums really the best way to settle constitutional reform? Perhaps it’s time to consider a different approach: Citizen’s Assemblies.

What are Citizen’s Assemblies?

A Citizen’s Assembly is a body made up of randomly selected individuals who deliberate on a particular issue before making recommendations. These assemblies are designed to be representative of the wider population, taking into account factors such as gender, ethnicity, social class, and geography. Members go through a structured process of learning, discussion, and decision-making, receiving balanced and expert-led evidence before forming conclusions.

The key distinction between a referendum and a Citizen’s Assembly is deliberation. While referendums reduce complex issues to a binary choice, often framed by political soundbites and media hysteria, Citizen’s Assemblies enable deep, informed discussion that can yield nuanced solutions.

In-depth Deliberation

Referendums force voters to make a choice based on limited understanding of the issue, often without the ability to weigh trade-offs. In contrast, Citizen’s Assemblies facilitate long and careful deliberation, allowing participants to hear from experts, interrogate different perspectives, and make an informed decision.

Informed Decision-Making

The fundamental flaw of referendums is that campaigns are often dominated by slogans, misinformation, and emotional rhetoric. Citizen’s Assemblies avoid this by ensuring members receive accurate, impartial information and engage in discussions with people of differing views. The result? A decision-making process that prioritises substance over spectacle.

Fairness and Inclusion

The randomness of Citizen’s Assembly selection ensures all demographics are proportionally represented, unlike referendums, where participation skews towards politically engaged groups. Measures such as compensation for lost wages, childcare support, and translation services enable a wider range of voices to be heard—something referendums often fail to achieve.

Building Trust and Consensus

Referendums create winners and losers, often leaving half the population feeling unheard. Citizen’s Assemblies, however, promote engagement across ideological divides, fostering mutual understanding and compromise. Participants often leave the process with a greater appreciation of differing views—something our current political climate is sorely lacking.

Reduced Susceptibility to Lobbying and Misinformation

With referendums, vested interests can pour millions into shaping public opinion, as seen with the infamous "£350 million for the NHS" Brexit bus. Citizen’s Assemblies, on the other hand, operate transparently, with evidence scrutinised in an environment less prone to political spin and media distortion.

Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Of course, Citizen’s Assemblies are not without their hurdles. Ensuring fair representation is crucial, which is why methods like weighted lotteries and stratified sampling are used. For instance, when organising the Climate Assembly UK, 20% of invitations were sent to people from the lowest-income postcodes, ensuring socio-economic diversity.

Another challenge is political buy-in. The assembly process is meaningless if the government ignores its recommendations. Political will is needed to integrate these recommendations into policymaking, which is why cross-party support is essential. The assembly’s remit must also be clear, ensuring that its conclusions can be meaningfully applied rather than left to gather dust on a Whitehall shelf.

The Future of Constitutional Decision-Making

Citizen’s Assemblies are not a utopian fix. However, they represent a crucial step towards a more mature, thoughtful, and democratic approach to constitutional decision-making. Instead of divisive, populist-driven referendums that deliver political uncertainty, they offer a process that is informed, representative, and designed to build consensus.

At a time when public trust in politics is at an all-time low, introducing deliberative democracy through Citizen’s Assemblies could be the step forward the UK desperately needs. The question now is whether politicians have the courage to embrace a better way.