More of your ideas

A series of blogs argued that we could not go back to the way things were even if we won the referendum, that a post-referendum Prime Minister’s key rôle was to heal the country, and suggested that we needed the political parties to put forward new policies on the theme of Take Back Control. 

We asked for your ideas of symbolic and substantive policies that would heal the country. We published a selection here, George Stevenson’s article based on a Churchill quote:  "In Defeat, Defiance; In Victory, Magnanimity" and Richard Burnett-Hall’s programme for post-referendum strategy. Here is a new selection of your ideas:

Use citizens assemblies to facilitate cross-party working

Dianne Chipperfield writes:

Parliament has to set the example and create a way to work together. Put party differences aside and if necessary employ a professional conflict resolution facilitator.  Cross party groups have already been working positively together.  So it can be done. 

Create Citizens’ Assemblies around the UK to deliberate on Brexit and report to Parliament and make public the decisions and process. 

Continue to use assemblies in future. That would democratise complex parliamentary decisions. 

We should be focusing on saving the planet from catastrophe not bickering about Brexit.  It’s like we are arranging the deckchairs on the deck of the Titanic. Futile. 

Address concerns about control over "laws, borders and money"

Angus Hislop sent us a copy of the suggestions he had put to his MP, Tulip Siddiq

I am concerned that Remainers like you are not proposing any actions to counter the concerns of many in relation to gaining more control over our "laws, borders and money". There is more we can do on all three issues whilst remaining in the EU. For example:

- Laws: enhance the role and resources available to the EU Scrutiny Committee in parliament; ensure they are more proactive in providing constructive challenge. And change the chair! Bill Cash has been there 10 years and is not committed to supporting the EU with constructive challenge but blaming it.

Take a more proactive role in policy developments as we did successfully in the past with EU expansion and financial policies. Parliament could, for example, debate and set directions on planned EU legislation well in advance rather than relying largely on lobbyists to influence the Commission when drafting legislation.

- Borders: implement some of the limits already put on early access to benefits for EU citizens by other countries and ensure that employers pay at least the minimum wage.

Reintroduce and enlarge considerably the old Migration Impact Fund aimed at supporting (especially for education and healthcare) areas which experience a sudden inflow of EU citizens and third country immigrants.

- Money: make the reconstituted EU Scrutiny Committee responsible for monitoring achievements from the money that we receive back from the EU and reporting back.

Ensure greater publicity for EU- funded projects.

Provide an "annual report" on how our money is spent/received against our objectives.

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