»Ê¼Ò»ªÈË

Assembly members met on 18 and 19 September for the first weekend of the Citizens' Assembly. Members started to get to know each other and find out about the Assembly. They also explored the question: What would a good democracy look like?

Members heard from a range of speakersÌýover the weekend. Some speakers were ‘informants’ who offered balanced perspectives on the issues, while others were ‘advocates’ who presented their own views.

On this page, you can find the agenda for the first weekend and links to videos of the plenary sessions and the speakers' presentations.ÌýAssembly members received:

• ´¡Ìýglossary of terms related to democracy andÌýthe UK's democratic system.
• ³§±è±ð²¹°ì±ð°ùÌý²ú¾±´Ç²µ°ù²¹±è³ó¾±±ð²õ.

In their first session together, members worked in small groups to produce a set of guidelines that they felt would encourage quality discussions at the Assembly. These can be found below.Ìý

Assembly members spent much of the weekend discussing the issues among themselves in small groups. Please note that recordings of these small-groups are not publicly available, so that members can feel uninhibited in expressing their ideas.

Weekend 1 Agenda

Session 1, Saturday morning – 10:00 – 12:30

Watch the Ìýor click the links below to watch the presentations individually.Ìý

• Welcome, getting to know fellow Assembly members and by Professor Alan Renwick.
• Break
• ‘(¾±²Ô´Ú´Ç°ù³¾²¹²Ô³Ù)Ìý
• Small-group discussion
• Feedback with the whole Assembly
• Wrap up

Session 2, Saturday afternoon – 14:00 – 16:30

Watch the Ìýor click the links below to watch the presentations individually.Ìý

• Introduction to the afternoon session
• Small-group discussion
• Ìý(¾±²Ô´Ú´Ç°ù³¾²¹²Ô³Ù)
• Break
• Presentations by , and (all informants)
• Small-group discussion, with speakers dropping in
• Wrap up

Session 3, Sunday morning – 10:00 – 12:30

Watch the Ìýor click the links below to watch the presentations individually.Ìý

• Introduction to the morning session
• Feedback with the whole Assembly about Saturday’s small-group discussions
• Recorded presentations by , , , , and (all advocates)
• Break
• Small group discussion
• Wrap up

Speaker biographies

Professor Alan RenwickÌý

Alan Renwick is the head of the project that the Citizens' Assembly on Democracy in the UK is part of. This project is investigating what kinds of democracy people in the UKÌýwant, andÌýis calledÌýDemocracy in the UK after Brexit. He is Deputy Director of the Constitution Unit and Associate Professor in British Politics at University College London (UCL). He carries out research into how citizens can take part in democratic politics andÌýpolicy-making, particularly elections, referendums, and citizens’ assemblies. He also led theÌýCitizens’ Assembly on Brexit, which was held in 2017.Ìý

Parmjeet PlummerÌýÌý

ParmÌýPlummerÌýhas been a teacher since 1997, having taught History and Politics in secondary schools across London, in theÌýSouth WestÌýand in the Channel Islands. Currently found in Jersey, she says: ‘I revel in engaging young people in the political process and jumped at the opportunity to take part in translating politics into plain English for the Citizens’ Assembly.’ÌýParm also tweets @parmplummer, where she campaigns for @WomenEd, a global grassroots organisation who seek greater representation in leadership in education, more flexible working and action on the gender pay gap.Ìý

ProfessorÌýAlbert Weale

Albert Weale is Emeritus Professor of Political Theory and Public Policy in the Department of Political Science, University College London, where he still teaches and researches. His research and writing have concentrated on issues of political theory and public policy, especially health policy, environmental policy, the theory of justice and democratic theory. In addition to over one hundred papers and chapters, he has authored, co-authored or co-edited nineteen books. In 2013 heÌýwasÌýawarded a CBE for services to Political Science.ÌýÌý

Dr Hannah WhiteÌý

Hannah White is the Deputy Director of the Institute for Government, a leading think tank that aims to make government more effective. An expert in all things to do with Westminster and Whitehall, she previously worked in the House of Commons and ran the Committee on Standards in Public Life, an advisory body that advises the Prime Minister on how to ensure ethical standards of conduct across public life in England. She is Deputy Director of the Board of Trustees of Involve, the charity that is delivering the assembly.ÌýÌý

Gráinne Walsh

Gráinne Walsh is Director of Stratagem, a consultancy firm based in Northern Ireland that aims to connect companies with politics. She has extensive experience of working at various levels of government across the United Kingdom and Ireland, having worked in local government, with all political parties in Belfast, and at Westminster and Whitehall in London. Originally fromÌýDublin,ÌýGráinne has a particular interest in citizen engagement, having trainedÌýhundredsÌýof voluntary and community groups in campaigning, policy development and engaging with political parties. ÌýÌýÌý

Professor Anand Menon

Anand Menon is Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King’s College London (KCL). He is also Director of UK in a Changing Europe, anÌýaward-winningÌýacademicÌýinitiative that conducts research into theÌýrelationship between the UK and the European Union.ÌýA regular on our screens and radios, with appearances on shows such asÌýQuestionÌýTimeÌýand theÌýTodayÌýprogramme,Ìýhe brings a wealth ofÌýknowledgeÌýon aÌýwideÌýrange of topicsÌýregardingÌýdemocracy in the United Kingdom today.ÌýÌýÌý

Baroness (Shami) Chakrabarti

Shami Chakrabarti rose to national prominence as Director of Liberty (2003–16), an advocacy groupÌýthatÌýseeks to defend people’s rights and liberties in the United Kingdom. In this role, she repeatedly clashedÌýwith various governments over issues such as anti-terrorism legislation and ID cards.ÌýShe was a member of the Labour Shadow Cabinet between 2016 and 2020, asÌýShadow Attorney General for England and Wales. She now sits as a Labour peer in the House of Lords as Baroness Chakrabarti of Kennington.ÌýÌý

Baroness (Claire) Fox

Claire FoxÌýhas long been one of Britain’s mostÌýincisive journalists.ÌýAn advocate of democratic accountability and free speech issues, she is the Director of the Academy of Ideas,ÌýaÌýthink tankÌýcommitted to hosting free and open public debates.ÌýShe wasÌýa Member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party in 2019–20, and now sits as a peer in the House of LordsÌýas Baroness Fox of Buckley.Ìý

Willie SullivanÌý

Willie Sullivan isÌýtheÌýSeniorÌýDirector ofÌýtheÌýElectoral Reform SocietyÌý(ERS) and Director of ERSÌýScotland. The ERS campaigns for reform to the electoral system and other aspects of democracy inÌýthe UK.Ìý´¡Ìýcommitted supporter ofÌýdemocratic reform and of increasing public involvement in politics, heÌýwas Head of Field Operations for the ‘Yes’ campaign in the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum and hasÌýadvised politicians inÌýbothÌýthe UK and Scottish governments.ÌýÌýÌý ÌýÌý

Lord (Jonathan)ÌýSumption

Jonathan SumptionÌýis one ofÌýBritain’s foremostÌýpublicÌýintellectuals. ´¡ÌýmedievalÌýhistorian by training, heÌýworked as a barrister in some of theÌýmost high-profile legal cases of theÌýpast three decades, beforeÌýsitting as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom between 2012 and 2018.ÌýHe remains a prolific contributor and authorÌýon the subjects of theÌýjudiciary,ÌýlawÌýand politics. HeÌýdelivered theÌý2019 BBC Reith Lectures on Law and the Decline of Politics and authoredÌýLaw in a Time of Crisis.Ìý

Jeremy Wright QC MP

Jeremy Wright has been the Conservative MP for Kenilworth and Southam (previously Rugby and Kenilworth) since 2005. He possesses a wealth of experience about government, having been a whip (responsible for encouragingÌýMPsÌýto follow the party line), thenÌýMinister of State for Prisons (2012–14), Attorney General for England and Wales (2014–18) and Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport (2018–19). He is now a member of the Committee on Standards in Public Life.ÌýÌý