What is a citizens' assembly and how do they work? episode artwork

EPISODE · May 5, 2025 · 59 MIN

What is a citizens' assembly and how do they work?

from Bristol Unpacked · host The Bristol Cable

With faith in democracy – and in particular in traditional political parties – at a low ebb, in the UK and elsewhere, this week Unpacked wrestles with whether citizens’ assemblies offer a chance to rekindle the public’s affection. Neil is joined by David Jubb, co-founder and co-director of Citizens In Power, which as its name suggests aims to enable citizens to lead decision-making and shape the future.Citizens’ assemblies offer a representative group of people the chance to deliberate on thorny issues – such as abortion or assisted dying – in a much more nuanced way than, for example, the Brexit referendum did. They are meant to provide a safe space for people to respectfully disagree, something that has become harder in our age of polarised opinion, and to find solutions that are acceptable for all.This year, Jubb will be collaborating with Trinity Community Arts and St Paul's Carnival on Citizens for Culture, a West of England-wide project to explore how creative opportunities can be more inclusive and accessible for everyone in the region. How will that work then? Who will be involved? And what would success look like? Tune in for another thought-provoking chat…

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 5, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

What is a citizens' assembly and how do they work?

0:00 59:12

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Story Slam Story Slam Bristol Story Slam Bristol is proud to present our incredible live event in podcast form. Each month you'll hear true stories told by our live theatre audience. Each event has a different theme, and the stories can range from the hilarious and uplifting, to the tragic and heartbreaking. You never quite know what you’re going to hear at Story Slam, so come join us for a raw glimpse into the lives of the people around us, through the beautiful art of storytelling. Explicit Young Black Suburban LNH Studios Tim Witherspoon Jr. (@terribleii) is Young, Black and Suburban. He boxed professionally, and now he owns a gym in Bristol Borough, PA, Witherspoon Boxing and Fitness (@WS_boxing). Listen to him interview guests as they talk about being young, black and suburban through shared and unique experiences.Box with Tim at witherspoonboxing.comTo contact Young Black Suburban email [email protected] by Jordan Fried @jfreeeze | Music by Talent Harris (@talentharris)A Late Night Hump (@latenighthump) Production in conjunction with LNH Studios (latenighthump.com) Explicit Bristol2Beijing Luke Grenfell-Shaw The Bristol2Beijing podcast brings you the highs and lows, challenges from the road and inner thoughts of Luke as he rides from Bristol to Beijing on his tandem bike. He also talks to interesting and unusual people he meets on his journey to understand better the country he is in.Luke be will answering your questions about life on the bike (send them via @Bristol2Beijing on Instagram and Facebook!).Get your dose of adventure, culture and inspiration here! Explicit

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Bristol Unpacked?

This episode is 59 minutes long.

When was this Bristol Unpacked episode published?

This episode was published on May 5, 2025.

Can I download this Bristol Unpacked episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!