RADIX PAPER NO 18 OCTOBER 2020

Edited by David Boyle Contributions by Lord Alderdice Charlotte Alldritt Sir Simon Jenkins and Alan Rusbridger

THINK TANK FOR THE RADICAL CENTRE

DEMOCRACY

THE URGENT FUTURE OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM INTRODUCTION DAVID BOYLE

A week or so before the beginning of My reason for telling this story is that the 1992 general election campaign, – despite this setback – only five years Labour’s deputy leader Roy Hattersley later, Robin Cook and Bob Maclennan was chatting about strategy in the were inaugurating their joint cabinet Atrium, the airy restaurant - now turned committee to put into place most of the café - at 4 Millbank. Charter 88 agenda (though not PR at Westminster). He had been lobbied every day by Charter 88, the influential constitutional The whole affair was done as a kind of reform campaign, to recognise their consolation prize for Paddy Ashdown efforts to organise a series of public who had been promised a coalition debates a week before polling day, government by Tony Blair in 1997. It was an initiative they called ‘Democracy done despite open scepticism from Blair Day’. And they should, Hattersley and himself. Sovereignty remains with me, colleagues agreed across the table. They he assured Prime Minister’s Questions, would talk about constitutional reform earning himself a rebuke from Ashdown on their grid exactly a week before who reminded him that, actually, voting – if only to spike the guns of the sovereignty remained with the people. Lib Dems. It goes to show how quickly things Unfortunately for Hattersley – and change when it comes to the lost and Charter 88 – the conversation had been neglected issues of constitutional overheard at the next table by a senior reform. Conservative strategist, so it was that on Democracy Day, the pro-Conservative press were ready for them with their ridicule – even the Guardian gargled IT GOES TO “EVERY GOVERNMENT with the phrase the ‘chartering classes’. THAT COMES TO POWER SHOW HOW QUICKLY THINGS CHANGE WHEN ALWAYS SAYS IT BELIEVES IN Democracy Day itself was a huge success, but there were those senior IT COMES TO THE LOST LOCALISM AND WANTS TO figures in the Labour Party who were AND NEGLECTED ISSUES DECENTRALISE AND DOES inclined to blame Charter 88 – and the OF CONSTITUTIONAL THE EXACT OPPOSITE” whole bundle of constitutional issues REFORM… Sir Simon Jenkins from PR to devolution – for the fact that they narrowly failed to win the election a week later.

3 We forget it partly, perhaps, because of • The role of the media and a struggling SIMON JENKINS So Boris Johnson found himself with that highfalutin’ and rather off-putting local press in good government (Alan a covid crisis that put that promise phrase. How many commentators Rusbridger/22 June) THE FUTURE OF immediately to the test and he was dismissed any variation from the normal found wanting. • The devolution of power to local level LOCALISM bread and butter issues of politics, (Simon Jenkins/1 July) He had no mechanism for projecting quoting Bill Clinton’s Campaign Director, central control locally in such a way that James Carville, approvingly (also in • The future shape of the UK (John Simon Jenkins is a journalist, author he could combat this particular disease. 1992) that “it’s the economy, stupid”. Alderdice/7 July) and broadcaster. In the course of If you compare it with other countries, Yet, suddenly, here we are – on both • The importance of local economic levers almost all of them relied on local sides of the Atlantic – busily trashing his 50-year career, he has written (Charlotte Alldritt/20 July). government to enforce the lockdown the economy because of populist or in and edited both the London and the various regulations of lockdown nationalist issues that could so easily Evening Standard and The Times and then cope with the testing and the have come under the heading of All these issues cry out in different ways and has authored books on politics other aspects of it that were required to constitutional reform. How Coronavirus for attention. Because our ability to and the history and architecture of combat the disease. has exposed the inadequacies of many ask questions of those who rule us is London. He has written regularly In Britain, the system simply broke down of our governmental structures and our key to the ability of government to act and the NHS in effect was left trying to over-centralised state. How, the attempt effectively. And without this scrutiny on different aspects of localism and handle it itself. The NHS, of course, had to shine a light of these failures, has the UK might simply break apart with has continually made the case for its own interests – it has nothing to do fallen short because our media and other all the risks associated with those kind decentralisation. He was speaking with local government. For example, the mechanisms for holding public officials of separations, including unrest and civil to the HuffPost’s UK Political government shared data on people who to account are no longer up to the job. war. Correspondent, Rachel Wearmouth are shielding with supermarkets but not So given that we now have freedom of These are important considerations with councils. information, a Scottish parliament and so I hope people will read these It is always interesting to me that every a Welsh assembly, and the House of contributions, originally talks and government that comes to power always WHY OUR COVID RESPONSE Lords has been half reformed – and it interviews, and talk about the issues says it believes in localism and wants FAILED SO BADLY? seems unlikely that anyone wants to talk involved. And we in Radix will be with to decentralise and does the exact about PR for a while – what are the most you talking about them in the years to opposite. However you define them - the local urgent ‘constitutional’ issues we need to come… council, the parish council - the leaders discuss? It is fairly clear that you have a group of the local community would have been of people in government now who That is the background to this pamphlet ideally placed to enforce what I believe do not have experience of localism in and the online seminars Radix organised DAVID BOYLE should have been a voluntary lockdown any sense. They found themselves in a through the summer of 2020. We September 2020 and would have known who was situation where they had a major crisis could potentially have chosen issues disobeying it and known who needed and they really didn't know what to do. like the future of the BBC and the role protection. All those local contacts, The central government machine was of the civil service, both topical among which are the fabric of local government dependent on centralised or nationalised populists, but the ones we actually in Britain, were there in place but none industry. chose overlap and are, in different ways, of them were used – and the result has equally urgent: been a disaster. I really think that Britain has been shamed by it.

4 radixuk.org 5 It is fairly clear that Britain was one of There is something in England - WHY LOCAL AUTHORITIES localism’ when they are actually doing the worst performers. It is also fairly particularly in England – which is deeply SHOULD TAX centralism. You can't do it that way. clear that countries – not just Korea centralised. People think they are the Unless you go down the route that most I think local authorities ought to have far and Taiwan but Norway, Germany local mayor when they're an MP. They European countries have gone down, wider tax-raising powers. They should and France – where they in effect rather despise local government because where provinces and districts – even be able, for instance, to decide the level conscripted local government to do they want to be seen to be doing things parishes – have systematic powers of business rates, which are currently the testing and tracing - were more themselves and be credited with doing determined centrally and which can be a that are theirs and they can take the successful. Where I live in Wales, there things, which is why they centralise. And government to court if it refuses to let crippling burden. were some really pointless regulations yet you find that, in so many ways, there them exercise those powers. Otherwise, – you weren't allowed to walk on a is that much more innovation at a local The trouble with local taxation in Britain it won't happen. That is why I believe in mountain, but you could walk on a level and they are also a lot better at is that it keeps changing because each constitutional change. beach. So when people on the ground doing things there. government comes into power with regard these as ridiculous, they lose faith a new idea for it. If only people knew In this country, local taxes are fixed THE PROBLEM WITH REGIONS in the way in which this lockdown is where they stood and what their tax by the centre. That is not the case being enforced. They're not there on side rates were going to be from one year Regionalism is a problem. Britain has in America and it's not the case in with government and they should have to the next but that relationship has never been a regional country or, to Germany. In other countries some been on side with government. essentially to be between the business be precise, England has never been a discretionary locality has to decide how and the local authority – not between regional country. Regional devolutions Our key problem is that we don't much to tax and for what. Most people the business and centre. never worked. When John Prescott have a constitution which stipulates don't mind so much paying local taxes, tried to get a regional assembly for the localism. Instead, we have an informal curiously enough, when they know what Yes, there is no doubt at all that this north east, he wanted it to be based on constitution which places all power in it's going to be spent on, but they resent opens up places to corruption. In Italy Northumberland, Durham and a bit of the national parliament. paying central taxes because they don't and Spain, I know there is terrible Yorkshire and no-one wanted that. know what it's going to be spent on or corruption in this relationship between they disagree with it. business and local government. You will Someone said to me – if you want a ‘OUR KEY PROBLEM IS just have to cope with that and police regional assembly for Northumberland, All government is tiered: there are THAT WE DON'T HAVE A it – yet it is better that it is local. As yes we would go for that, and the reason central governments, international CONSTITUTION WHICH someone said to me, I would rather have is that they identify with it. People governments, European governments STIPULATES LOCALISM. a corrupt local authority than one that identify with Cumbria. They identify with and often two tiers of local government. INSTEAD WE HAVE AN doesn't even have power. Cornwall and with Yorkshire. Where INFORMAL CONSTITUTION Democracy is complicated. But if you you have an entity which has a feeling WHICH PLACES ALL POWER IN legislate for those tiers, and make I have become convinced that there is of local coherence, democracy applies. THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENT…’ sure people know where they are, and simply no way governments are going But if you have carved out a chunk of decide at which level you are going to to voluntarily surrender power. You England like south east Lancashire, north tax people, then it will not be simply a will have to legislate to make a system east Cheshire or Humberside or Avon, Before I started as a journalist, I was national system. But Britain has a totally robust enough to protect the powers these are meaningless entities that no- a researcher on the Redcliffe-Maud national system now and I think the local government should have over one feels any identity or loyalty to, and Commission on Local Government. result is that people locally really don't particular areas of the economy and they will not work as democratic bodies. So I studied these things and became feel empowered in any way. society, against infringement by the obsessed with them before I was even centre. It has to be constitutional. It is writing about them. no good any longer for governments to come along saying: ‘Oh, I believe in

6 radixuk.org 7 ‘THE NORTH EAST OR THE ‘I CAN REMEMBER SOUTH EAST ARE NOT WHEN THE DEMOCRATIC ENTITIES LOCAL COUNCIL AND I DON’T THINK IT LEADER RAN THE WILL EVER WORK IN SCHOOLS, RAN THAT WAY. IT WORKS THE COLLEGES FOR WALES; IT WORKS AND RAN THE FOR SCOTLAND AND CARE HOMES. IN NORTHERN IRELAND. IT EVERY SENSE, HE DOES NOT WORK FOR WAS A FIGURE ENGLAND. DEVOLUTION OF SOME POWER HAS TO BE CONNECTED LOCALLY…’ TO HISTORY…’

The north east or the south east are You had these great nationalised Nationalised industries and national the culture of locality and the culture of not democratic entities and I don’t industries in the 1920s, 30s and 40s businesses do tend towards locality has found itself with fewer and think it will ever work in that way. It and I think they contributed to the centralisation, so the issues are about fewer powers. works for Wales; it works for Scotland concentration of power. There is no whether you can systematically I can remember when the local council and Northern Ireland. It does not work doubt that when you had regional local break things up and whether there leader ran the schools, ran the colleges for England. Devolution has to be railway companies, you had a sense of is an issue simply of a lack of lines of and ran the care homes. In every sense, connected to history. loyalty to your local railway. But when communication and essentially trust he was a figure of some power locally. it was British Rail, it was a nationalised between central and local government. The test we had about whether a place Nowadays, those things are run from industry. Is there just a fundamental lack of trust needed one or two tiers in their local central government. It is very difficult there? government was: If you ask someone One of the failings about the NHS is to get people in local government who on a beach in the Mediterranean where that it became a nationalised industry, Personally, I think there is; central and really feel as if they are kings of their they are from and they answer Leeds, largely because Bevan and Morrison had local don't live in the same world. The locality and that is a very important thing Bristol or Southampton, then they need a terrible row about whether it should Westminster village has no lines out in local government. a one-tier local authority. If they say be local or national. Morrison wanted it to local government. Ken Livingstone something like Blazberry in Norfolk, then to be local because he was passionate and Boris Johnson were both national that is two tiers – because they identify about London; Bevan hated Morrison politicians when they came to be mayors with a place and a county, and because and said no – it's going to be national. of London, and they both had got those that is where their loyalty lies. “The sound of a dropped bedpan in lines out. London has been a success as a Tredegar Hospital will reverberate round mayoralty but there are still two separate the Palace of Westminster,” he said. cultures - the culture of Westminster and

8 radixuk.org 9 CHARLOTTE ALLDRITT We have tried to tackle regional equality key barrier to their ability to respond to for decades, probably since we first the current crisis on the health side. On THE FUTURE OF PLACE started to see the numbers go off the the economic side, we absolutely have to charts in de-industrialisation during the get that right with urgency – and linking 1980s. Back then, the government did education data in with further education Charlotte Alldritt is the director of I suppose the question is really whether little to intervene. Other governments and matching this with current and likely the Centre for Progressive Policy, ‘agglomeration economics’ – the idea have since tried to pick up the pieces. future business demand for skills. that a concentration of people working But we have seen that national policies a UK think tank that promotes That is why labour market intelligence in one place creates additional value, are too blunt an instrument. inclusive growth working in and building business and government would be my priority number one, were I Gavin Williamson. partnership with local authorities. policy decisions around this – is going to THE ROLE OF THE CENTRE She was director of the RSA change post-covid? As well as how and Inclusive Growth Commission and, how much this is going to play into the Places operate as systems. It is all very ‘THAT IS WHY LABOUR local devolution agenda? well trying to co-ordinate a network of MARKET INTELLIGENCE prior to that, led the City Growth those systems, but we need to work out Whatever the answers are, I think the HAS GOT TO BE PRIORITY Commission chaired by Lord Jim how we integrate and conceive of and NUMBER ONE IF I WERE death of the city is much exaggerated. invest in economic and social policy that O’Neill. During the coalition, she I think the death of place is similarly GAVIN WILLIAMSON…’ was a senior policy adviser to the really works for those places, rather than exaggerated. I don't think we are all try to direct things from Whitehall in a deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg. going to be little individual worker bees kind of ‘hit-it-and-hope’ strategy. sitting at home. Patterns and behaviours She was speaking to Nick Tyrone, FISCAL DEVOLUTION Spectator columnist and former might change but I think it's very human They build a road or make promises on broadband speeds and expect wealth director of Radix. to want to come together and work on a It is interesting that the stamp duty common task and meet in a social way. to trickle down, as previous kinds of freeze, and lifting the threshold, Not everyone can work from home and economic orthodoxies have purported – could potentially pave the way for the we've seen this during covid, after all. and we know it just doesn't work. We need to think about how people and abolition of stamp duty, which would places work because that's where stuff Localism doesn't preclude central support automatically take out - particularly for or national policymaking. We need an London - one of the biggest sources happens. That is where people work – it ‘WHATEVER THE integrated system of governance, as of fiscal retention that they have been is where people buy things. In terms ANSWERS ARE, I THINK much on the political side as on the asking for. of the techie jargon, we need to speak THE DEATH OF THE CITY economic development side - and of about ‘functional economic geography’, IS MUCH EXAGGERATED. So if we get rid of stamp duty or it is course those things should go hand in typically conceived as travel to work I THINK THE DEATH significantly reformed, I think a lot of hand. There is a role for the centre, both areas. That is another abstract concept OF PLACE IS SIMILARLY people calling for fiscal devolution will in redistribution and in policy intervention but one that I think will fast come back, EXAGGERATED…’ need to go back to the drawing board even if our commuting patterns change – we just have to hit a much finer-tuned on what that necessarily means because slightly. We still will live and work in balance between the two. some of the arguments about how you places and I think that's really important How places understand what their local allocate central funding pots such as VAT to remember and it is absolutely labour market needs are is often actually and other centrally gathered revenue central for policymakers to have an a question about data. We have seen the streams probably will start to look a bit understanding of this at every level. timeliness and accuracy of data (or lack more attractive. thereof) going to local government as a

10 radixuk.org 11 Having said that, the move to 100 per You agree with us a whole bunch of REGIONAL INEQUALITY cent business rate retention – given social and economic policy goals and you AND ‘LEVELLING UP’ that it is likely that we will see relatively figure out how best to spend that money’. I would turn back to the city regions So I put the duty heavily onto city little growth in the short term – could and make it a duty of elected mayors regional mayors to be responsible perversely then give us more insight PLACE-BASED FINANCE of combined authorities that they have for their whole city regions. We need into where places are able to grow, a responsibility for within-regional to go down to that level because we what initiatives and interventions have A place-based spending review based equality. Levelling up seeks to address have such a variation in our economic supported that. And, therefore, areas that on those kinds of principles could be between-regional inequality so it geographies of cities – so the dynamics places might learn from, in terms of how hugely transformative and start to see us should be Andy Burnham's concern, of the West Midlands are very different they build their revenue base if we were really thinking about local regeneration, for example, that the people across to the dynamics of Greater Manchester, to move to more fiscally devolved model. local economics, local policymaking and develop power in a whole different guise. Greater Manchester – whether that is which are in turn entirely different from We certainly need to be more creative Oldham or elsewhere – have access a fragmented disaggregated economy of in the types of financial instruments that I am not against regional banking, where to opportunities and that growth and the type you see in Cornwall, for example. we allow councils to use. Part of that will it seems to work and I know several recovery is as inclusive as possible. So economic policy becomes strategic be about central government support; people that are working in this space, This should signal a new approach to and part of that approach is how you part of that might be things like a hotel whether that is setting up challenger how we think about local economic build up a whole region where the city tax - and we have seen various cities duck banks or other sorts of mutuals. There development and regeneration. It means and its relationships with its towns will out of being the first mover on that, for is a real place for that in addressing and that it is not just about building new be much more nuanced. It can’t be about obvious reasons. But it is something that diversifying access to capital, particularly tram lines in from Trafford to Central Wigan or Oldham saying can you spread we might want to move to once the hotel for SMEs and particularly where you Manchester. It isn’t just about building some of the jam over here, please. It has industry is out of this particular downturn. can tie those returns to place-based outcomes because that investment is satellite offices for national firms in to be about how places work together Then we also need the ability to leverage staying local. provincial cities because those shiny new and are part of a whole place ecosystem. in private finance or philanthropic buildings are a source of business rate But we also have to watch central finance and bring together the totality There is also the Bristol and Bath Regional revenue generation. It has got to be a government because, to take covid and of resources in a place. We need to Capital Fund, which is an inspired idea more fundamental bottom-up approach the role of local public health directors think about how then we invest and co- that has led, for example, to the Bristol that builds on the assets of places, but for example, central government can ordinate that. City Fund – not a regional bank so much doesn't replicate the same mistakes we easily say – and we saw this in Leicester as a regional investment fund that people see of central government. At its most extreme, what I want is a can put retail deposits in and where that – ‘you're rubbish: you're not doing your real devo deal that puts your money money is going to generate a return job, you're not protecting local people, where your mouth is. We have seen through benefiting the place. ‘THIS SHOULD SIGNAL A you're not responding quickly enough, these piecemeal devo deals over the you're not getting test-and-trace or I do have some worries about the NEW APPROACH TO HOW last ten years or so, since city deals in WE THINK ABOUT LOCAL whatever else you need to be doing’. 2010 and with Greater Manchester the risk-pooling and I know that advocates ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT And local government can rightly turn ultimate expression of that process so of this approach would point to other AND REGENERATION. IT around and say ‘well, you're not giving far. A real devo deal would say, ‘here's all countries and say that we can do it in MEANS THAT IT IS NOT JUST us the levers to do that at all and, in fact, the money we put into the public sector Germany, so why not here? It should be ABOUT BUILDING NEW TRAM your incompetence in central government and here's all the money we would have just one of the financial instruments and LINES IN FROM TRAFFORD TO is making our jobs even harder, so we spent on economic development and financial tools up our sleeves to enable CENTRAL MANCHESTER…’ appear less competent to you. infrastructure; now you go and sort it. places to have access to capital.

12 radixuk.org 13 But we are trying our best, given that ALAN RUSBRIDGER Then a very bad habit started in which we're trying to operate blind here shadowy Number 10 figures – we can THE FUTURE OF ‘I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS because you're not giving us the data ACCIDENTAL: WHAT HE IS imagine who they are – realised that, if information or the powers to respond’. LOCAL MEDIA TRYING TO DO IS TO SAY THAT you started anonymously leaking stuff to journalists, they would rush it out on So central government plays a very IF EVEN THE BEST NEWSPAPER Twitter in a completely deniable and canny game in that regard: it tells local IS FAKE, THEN ANYTHING IS unattributed way. The reader then had government they are rubbish and then Alan Rusbridger was editor of the BELIEVABLE, AND YOU MIGHT no idea where this was coming from. denies them the resources they need. Guardian from 1995 to 2015 and AS WELL BELIEVE ME…’ Sometimes this material would turn out There is a circular argument here: you the author of Breaking News. He is to be not true within two hours. deprive them of funds and then say look how little they're doing. now chair of the Reuters Institute STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES Some very bad habits from Trump have for the Study of Journalism at the OF JOURNALISM NOW been imported over here. We have seen University of Oxford and Principal how brilliant Trump is at distraction – so, Yet, by and large, journalism has risen ‘SO CENTRAL GOVERNMENT if he's in trouble, he will throw the media of Lady Margaret Hall. He was to the challenge of trying to understand PLAYS A VERY CANNY GAME fishes and say ‘No, look over there!’ That interviewed by leading media lawyer, the science behind covid-19 carefully IN THAT REGARD: IT TELLS has also happened to political reporting and responsibly - but also not allowing LOCAL GOVERNMENT Guy Vassell-Adams. here and I think that really matters. THEY ARE RUBBISH IT government off the hook and holding THEN DENIES THEM THE the people who are in power pretty These bizarre events happen each day RESOURCES THEY NEED. The question is how much people trust powerfully to account. which are not quite press conferences what they read and I think people were and you feel that they are being used as THERE IS A CIRCULAR Maybe some journalists were quite aware maybe a year or two ago of this platforms to make statements but often ARGUMENT HERE: YOU slow to appreciate the gravity of what profound sense of standing on the edge with no follow-up questions. DEPRIVE THEM FUNDS AND was going on. I remember those sort of of a precipice - this realisation that THEN LOOK HOW LITTLE slightly mocking articles about Italy and society can't work if you don't know THEY'RE DOING…’ what was going on there and a failure to THE CHANGING what's true and what's not true: you appreciate that it was likely to happen in BUSINESS MODEL can't have law, you can't have science the UK. and you would have a government It looks as though the economic model Then there is the devolution of adult where nothing works - unless there's There are areas where real weaknesses that worked for 200 years is rapidly education budgets, so what should be a some agreement about the factual basis have emerged that say something disintegrating. That is being felt most real next step for devolution actually just of what is being said. Where Donald broader about the challenges facing the acutely in the local papers, which had becomes a bureaucratic nightmare. Then Trump is really trying to muddy the media landscape at the moment. I am been kept afloat by property ads, job central government says: well, look, you waters deliberately, he targets probably thinking particularly about local news ads and car ads. A lot of local papers can't even handle the admin. the best newspaper on the planet – the but there may be others. responded – perhaps inevitably – by New York Times – and repeatedly says: cutting back on journalists so the papers Power is so centralised in the UK, that For example, the reporting of politics this is fake. became thinner and less interesting. it can be very difficult to actually think is quite troubling at the moment. One Then people stopped buying them and bottom up. I don't believe that is accidental: what he of the first things that the Johnson you got into a death cycle, which is is trying to do is to say that if even the government did was to try to limit the difficult to get out of. best newspaper is fake, then anything number of people who could come to is believable - and you might as well the lobby. There was a sense that the believe me. government wasn't going to have old- fashioned lobby briefings.

14 radixuk.org 15 But I think there are some counter signs The BBC model kind of works: it Perhaps if we want a reporter in every of quality journalism. In fact, the New employs a huge number of journalists ‘BECAUSE SOCIETIES DON'T court, then maybe people could tender York Times has done particularly well locally, internationally and nationally. WORK IF YOU HAVE VERY for that job. Maybe somebody could start out of Trump, as I said in the book. Every It is hugely respected and trusted and WELL-INFORMED ELITES AND ‘court-reporting.com’, rather than just time he says ‘don’t read the New York it can be consumed by everybody. All EVERYONE ELSE WATCHING chucking more money at some people Times’, the phones burn with people three of those things are very powerful FOX NEWS OR TALK RADIO…’ who doubtless got quite lazy and forgot taking out subscriptions. recommendations for the BBC business what the fundamental role of a news model, which is effectively a form of organisation in a local community was. taxation. Now if that form of taxation, We know the local newspapers are My personal view is that we should ‘EVERY TIME TRUMP SAYS which is currently attached to the dying already - some have already died welcome these initiatives. Some of ‘DON’T READ THE NEW YORK ownership of a TV set, is not going to -and there are already communities them will turn out not to work, some TIMES’, THE PHONES BURN work in future – which it probably is not that are uncovered. So imagine what of them will turn out to be cul-de-sacs, WITH PEOPLE TAKING OUT – then we probably have to look at two those societies are going to look like in but some of them may turn out to be SUBSCRIPTIONS…’ different things. future, when there is nobody outside really valuable pointers to the future. The applying scrutiny about how the One is a different kind of taxation and attempt to create a local democracy fund budgets are spent or who is winking at there are several countries that have was an interesting one. whom when they allow such and such NEW ECONOMIC MODELS? got there ahead of us, particularly a planning application going through. The BBC is all over Britain in one form Scandinavian or Nordic countries. The Yes, I think there will be new models. The Or whether the local police force has or another. It is too central but it's also second thing is something that could be old economic models were essentially a problem with racism or whether the still very dispersed and it has got a very settled once and for all – to remove the about private revenue streams and they local hospitals are clean – all these really powerful local media and radio network. BBC from any kind of political, not just are being replaced by people considering basic things that we would want to know There is also the Press Association control, but influence. whether news is a kind of public good or about our communities and which local which is out there and reporting from all maybe an act of philanthropy. There are We should be seeking to educate newspapers at their best used to do parts of the United Kingdom. In some some interesting models emerging so consumers to become more critical of rather well in covering. countries – I believe it is the case in that everybody can read the news. the news content that they receive from New Zealand –they have the same thing Since the model for that is going, there social media. It is perhaps a question of in reverse, where everybody puts their That is essentially the Guardian needs to be a discussion saying – ‘let's education, so that young people can learn content into their Press Association so it membership model. agree on what kind of news we need to look at history critically and at sources can then be shared. about our communities, and what we Societies don't work if you have very of information critically and analytically. I miss now that we haven't got and how So I think we are going to have to well-informed elites and everyone else know when you mention ‘media studies’ that is to be funded’. think radically about different kinds of watching Fox News or listening to talk people roll their eyes, but I would teach it models. There was a very interesting radio. That is a recipe for a terrible in every school from about the age of six. For example, a sizeable sum recently went debate in the Financial Times at the society and people are realising that into ‘local democracy reporting’ - because We have to train young people to read end of last year, essentially about what the supply of unpolluted information we do need somebody in the council everything – old and new media – the purpose is of a corporation beyond is almost like a public service, like an chamber and in the courts. Justice has to critically and to be able to think about profit, looking at these different kinds of ambulance service or a police service. It be seen to be done, after all. sources, where things come from, why models of social enterprises and mission- is just something society needs, even if people are saying things and how you centred corporations. There are some there is no conventional business model check, and to use the tools that we have news organisations in the USA that are for it. to determine if something is likely to be registering as charities – as non-profit true or not. 501c3s.

16 radixuk.org 17 The idea is “we are never going to make LORD ALDERDICE a profit out of this, but we have got a mission and a purpose which is a good THE FUTURE one and which society needs - so what SHAPE OF THE UK incentives can you give us to do that kind of work?” Lord Alderdice was the first Speaker was addressing a crowd at the front of Belfast City Hall. Someone asked about ‘IT IS A LITTLE LIKE A HEALTH of the Northern Ireland Assembly the IRA and he said: “They haven't gone SERVICE OR A LIGHTHOUSE and former leader of the Alliance away, you know!” - SOCIETY NEEDS Party of Northern Ireland. He is That was a way of appealing to some of LIGHTHOUSES BUT THERE IS now a Lib Dem peer and Director NO BUSINESS MODEL FOR A his colleagues when others had hoped LIGHTHOUSE…’ of the Centre for the Resolution that they had gone away and, similarly of Intractable Conflict. He was on the Unionist side, whenever people in conversation with Prof Nicola feel disenchanted, there is a lot of talk McEwen, co-director of the Centre about victims - those who suffered at It is a little like a health service or a the hands of the IRA - and demands that on Constitutional Change at those who are in the current leadership lighthouse - society needs lighthouses the University of Edinburgh and but there is no business model for a of the Republican movement distance lighthouse. You will have a lot of wrecked senior research fellow with UK in a themselves from that. And, of course, ships if you don't have lighthouses, even Changing Europe. when the opposite happens, it raises all in an age of GPS. So society at some the old difficulties and questions. point decided we must work out ways Having said that, there was a great of funding lighthouses and I think that The difficulties of devolution in Northern struggle to get devolution back on is the stage we are at now in thinking Ireland are a little bit more complex in track after a period of time when it about how we get to a good, truthful some ways than the issues of devolution had been off the agenda - Sinn Fein and fact-based media. in other parts of the UK, because of addressing more of the questions of the history - and not least a history of what was happening politically in Dublin violence. Once a terrorist campaign and the DUP, a little bit new-fangled enters into the situation, the dynamic with the influence that they have had changes and all sorts of things happen with the Conservative government at which are not easily forgotten or set to Westminster. the side. However, I think most of us took the That is very relevant in Northern Ireland view that some of this was because the because, each time there is some two parties did not also want to take sort of setback, you will find people any responsibility for the Brexit process. regressing back to their old identities They wanted the British government and and adherences. Famously, Gerry Adams the Irish government to do the heavy at one stage, when there were some lifting – then they could complain and questions about devolution, criticise whatever they did.

18 radixuk.org 19 And then, once that was out of the way, But, nevertheless, the trajectory I think So once you've got people into the the probability was that devolution is clear and partly that is because, while political process then, although people ‘So you're not going to do anything?’ would come back – because, from a the DUP have been clever at tactics, would keep talking about the peace unionist point of view, devolution is the they have been very poor at strategy: process, in truth there is no expectation I said: ‘Oh yes, what we're going to do is way of trying to keep Northern Ireland they have never really been able to of any going back to the use of violence we're going to run a public conversation stable within the UK; from a Sinn Fein see the big picture – they might make to bring about an outcome and it is where we explore all the issues that are point of view, it means that they are some decision for the moment which actually quite important for people to involved and we will get everybody on the in government in one part of Ireland would get them a little bit of credit and understand that we are now in a political same platform together, to explore the and able to have the ambition to be in credibility with the electorate or appeal process not a peace process any more. questions, to think and talk about them.’ government on both sides of the border to the identity questions, but not really And that is what we did. We got together in Ireland – so getting devolution back think about the long-term strategic students and people who live around was always something they were likely questions. BREXIT AND NORTHERN IRELAND the border or lawyers or businesspeople to do The DUP actually did things which The politics of course are very difficult to discuss the issues. We brought Nigel strengthened Sinn Fein - voting for too. The interesting thing about Brexit Farage over two or three times and the Brexit when actually the best way of more times Nigel Farage came over, the ‘IT DOES SEEM TO ME THAT, in Northern Ireland is that it is such a staying within the UK was if the UK more people wanted to vote for Remain – WHILE DEVOLUTION IS polarising issue with the two communities. stayed within the European Union. So but he and his colleagues felt at least they LIKELY TO SURVIVE, THERE IS There is an emerging middle community strategically they are not good, albeit were getting a chance to put their views. A TRAJECTORY TOWARDS A that I have represented for a long time tactically quite clever. So I think the UNITED IRELAND…’ now, but the two communities are at So when the result was, yes, Sinn trajectory is clear – what we don't know very different ends of that spectrum of Fein, the SDLP and Alliance all voted is timescale and exactly how, as with debate on the future relationship with the Remain but the Ulster Unionists decided everything in politics. European Union. overwhelmingly that they were going to It can be about focusing on the vote Remain and the DUP leader, Arlene DEVOLUTION WITH I remember when the Brexit referendum process and opening the doors that Foster, at the time when she was asked A TRAJECTORY emerged as a political possibility and allowed people who had been involved then certain colleagues at Westminster, about it after this public conversation, Even so, that doesn't mean that it is in violence to see another way of other Lib Dem colleagues, said: ‘Well she said ‘well, we've discussed it and on devolution without some trajectory. It promoting their political agenda – now, John, you need to run a Remain balance we've decided to vote for Brexit’. does seem to me that, while devolution so it becomes possible for them to campaign.’ I regarded that as a victory: the DUP is likely to survive, there is a trajectory move away from it. Actually, I think in had decided on balance that they were towards a united Ireland – that would retrospect they came to understand I said: ‘I'm not going to do that.’ going to do something and, actually, it be the traditional way of describing it. It that the violence had obstructed the They said: ‘What? Don’t you believe in the was a perfectly legitimate position for might not be an entirely adequate way outcome of their vision rather than European Union?’ them to take. But what it meant was of describing it because, of course, it promoted it. I said: ‘Yes, of course I do. But I'm not that the unionist community was not probably will not be a unitary state and it Near the end of his life, Garrett Fitzgerald, going to run a Remain campaign because united for Brexit. Many unionist young will retain relationships with the rest of the extraordinary liberal Taoiseach in I'll tell you what it would do. It would people, unionist businesspeople, farmers the UK. Ireland, wrote in the Irish Times that he polarise the community again – the people around the border, in the course of this was afraid the IRA had actually prevented on the nationalist side and SDLP would conversation, began to say ‘we need to the possibility of there ever being a united vote Remain. The Alliance party would be very careful about this’. Ireland because of the bad blood they had vote Remain, and that would push all the created. unionists together into a Brexit position.’

20 radixuk.org 21 There's now in Northern Ireland much He has been making decisions, for When you're in the EU, staying within more of a thoughtful conversation, example, that affect Scotland, Wales and the EU – even as an independent which is about social and economic Northern Ireland without any proper country - was a real possibility (although issues and the relationship with the rest consultation with the first ministers of the Spanish would have been difficult of the island with the European Union, as Scotland and Wales, never mind their about it), but once you are actually out of well as all the traditional questions. parliaments. And, although he may the EU and applying to come into it as a think that he can ride roughshod over separate country, you need to get your And, of course, the Alliance Party on them, I think what he is doing is – in the independence first and then hope that that broad centre ground has actually terminology we use nowadays – creating you can get in. increased to the point where there are antibodies. He is actually stoking up now really three cohorts in Northern Having said that, the way the current considerable resentment against himself Ireland – the nationalist republican one, British government is acting seems and his advisers, against London, and the unionist loyalist, but there is also to me to be stoking up antagonism indeed to some extent against the link in this cohort of younger people and not so between people in Scotland and their the relationship now. young people in the east of the province, representatives and people in Wales – but extending beyond that, who are albeit to a lesser extent – and London. saying ‘We've got to address the future, not ‘THE PM IS ACTUALLY That is a dangerous thing: I don't think keep going back to the past and we feel a STOKING UP CONSIDERABLE it's at all clever and I think it will create very different future set of possibilities.’ RESENTMENT AGAINST HIMSELF AND HIS ADVISERS, substantial problems. That is not to say AGAINST LONDON, AND that I'm clear what the outcome of that WHAT ABOUT SCOTLAND? INDEED TO SOME EXTENT will be. AGAINST THE LINK IN THE This session is about reimagining the UK, I think this is very encouraging. It also RELATIONSHIP NOW…’ so – in ten years from now – I think it raises the same kinds of questions does still have the same borders, though about how things might go with the whether those have become national relationship with the rest of the UK as it borders, as distinct from internal portals, currently is. There are lots of very good reasons why is the other question. Even in terms of I was of the view that Scottish independence for Scotland is very much Northern Ireland I don't think the border nationalism was going to have more problematic than it was before itself is going to change. It is a crazy considerable difficulty delivering, having previously. People could say that the border that goes through the middle of failed to get the result they wanted in budget will be fine because of oil, but people's houses and so on, but I don't the referendum. And Wales had never that is not the situation any more. It see that changing. What that border been that strong on the independence is certainly not the case that oil is the represents is another matter. question. But I think it comes back onto future in terms of energy or solving the We won't necessarily move overnight to the agenda because of the way that the Scottish budgetary issue. a different constitutional construction, prime minister has been handling things. but these things often change de facto before they change de jure.

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