Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
The only way to break deadlock is mini-debates by British public
NEVER before has a government suffered such a defeat at the hands of Parliament as this week.
Never before has Parliament been so deadlocked on a major decision for so long.
Never in my lifetime have I seen the country as divided as now.
We should do what we should have done at the outset – bring the British people back into this debate.
I propose we negotiate with Europe to extend Article 50 for a year, not as a delaying tactic but for a purpose. That we agree, and the EU accepts, a unique democratic innovation — the convening of nationwide citizens‘ assemblies.
The assemblies are not wholly new. They have been tried successfully from California to Australia, from Scandinavia and to New Zealand, and most recently in Ireland. The Irish abortion referendum could have been an embittered fight dominated by extremists of both sides.
FRESH
But because a representative group of 99 – roughly half pro-abortion, half against - talked through the issues over six weekends, they calmed the debate and found some common ground.
And their change of mind – in the end two-thirds for and one-third against – defused the controversy and helped fashion a referendum result of similar proportions.
Citizens’ assemblies offer a fresh opportunity for Parliament to hear how people across all regions think unity can be restored.
Each group would start with one Brexit voter for every Remain voter and then see what happened by the end of a day’s discussions.
Deliberations could be televised so the rest of the public can see how the arguments shape up and whether a consensus can be agreed.
It is an extraordinary measure but we are in uncharted waters without a map, compass and life jackets.
And so it is an initiative we must take towards us achieving a far more united country.
Gordon Brown was Labour Prime Minister from 2007-10.