The UK’s political system isn’t working. Everyone knows this. It’s time to breathe new life into it.

Both the Conservative and Labour parties have recently backed constitutional commissions because, like everyone else, they know we must mend our democracy. We welcome this.

But sadly they are pressing ahead on their own, without promising us, the people, a say in this process. Fixing our democracy can only be led by the citizens it exists to serve.

We therefore call on leaders of every party to accept that mending our broken system, whose adversarial and short-termist flaws have been exposed during the Covid pandemic, must be put in the hands of the public, not politicians.

An independent, open, inclusive Citizens’ Convention should be set up, free from party political interest, to lead the overhaul of our democracy. After open discussions with the parties, the Convention, which will mirror the makeup of the country, will make recommendations in an open, informed, and thoughtful way.

Once its work is complete, elected representatives should discuss
and agree how its proposals can be taken forward.