This is an inspiring read produced by a selection of 108 ‘ordinary’ people who spent 60 hours learning, thinking and voting on measures to deliver what is government policy, but not enough government action
The measures are a middle ground if we are to be serious on getting to net zero. I would have liked the assembly to go further on some areas but overall this is a good start. The assembly should be reconvened in five years to comment on government progress and reevaluate what needs to be done.
Do read it this weekend – it’s well produced and uplifting in its common sense and humanity.
Common sense and humanity – no-one would vote for that?
Such assemblies were, at times, important in Athenian democracies through ecclesia – assemblies of all the people (well, not slaves, and not foreigners, and not children and certainly not woman) where decisions, important decisions like whether or not to go to war, were decided by a vote of all eligible and present people. Those who did not take part, though qualified, were labelled ἰδιώτης – which those of you who did Greek at school (like me, (for one year)) will immediately recognise as the source of our word ‘idiots’.
