This House of Lords Library Briefing summarises how citizens’ assemblies operate, recent experiences of them, and a selection of references to them within Parliament.
Citizens’ Assemblies: An Introductory Guide (244KB PDF)
There has been an increase in the use of citizens’ assemblies over recent years in the UK and Ireland. Assemblies have been set up to consider subjects such as English devolution, adult social care and a range of different matters in Ireland (including the abortion laws and climate change). These have been arranged by a range of bodies, including think tanks, academic institutions, parliamentary committees and, in the case of Ireland, the parliament itself. In addition, some people have recommended the use of a citizens’ assembly to decide how to proceed with Brexit. Indeed, the University College London’s Constitution Unit did lead a citizens’ assembly on Brexit in 2017, which considered the UK’s future relationship with the EU, particularly in relation to migration policy and trade policy. The public participation charity Involve has stated that citizens’ assemblies can provide a high profile way of analysing complex issues and offer policymakers an insight into public opinion. However, it has also stressed that running them can be challenging and expensive, and that there could be a danger of it being viewed as a publicity exercise if not followed by real outcomes.
Citizens’ Assemblies: An Introductory Guide (244KB PDF)
The House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber Bill) [HL] is a private member’s bill introduced by Baroness Smith of Llanfaes (Plaid Cymru). It would require the secretary of state to carry out a consultation regarding proposals for replacing the House of Lords with an alternative second chamber. The bill specifies whom the secretary of state would be required to consult with and the timeframe of that consultation.
![House of Lords (Alternative Second Chamber) Bill [HL]: HL Bill 11 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/House-of-Lords-568x426.png)
The bill is a government bill that would make a range of changes to the legal framework concerning elections, including extending the franchise for UK parliamentary elections and other reserved elections to 16- and 17-year-olds. The bill was amended during both its committee and report stages in the House of Commons, with many of the government’s later amendments implementing recommendations from the Rycroft review on countering foreign financial influence and interference in UK politics.
Social media and other technologies have made it easier, quicker and cheaper for foreign powers to spread false information online aimed at undermining UK democracy. Such disinformation campaigns are one type of interference operation. In parallel, researchers have noted a link between declining public trust and societal polarisation, which can be exacerbated by online discourse. This briefing provides introductory reading to these issues, including recent reports and government announcements.
