<script type="text/javascript">var gform;gform||(document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,initializeOnLoaded:function(o){gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?o():!gform.domLoaded&&gform.scriptsLoaded?window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",o):document.addEventListener("gform_main_scripts_loaded",o)},hooks:{action:{},filter:{}},addAction:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("action",o,n,r,t)},addFilter:function(o,n,r,t){gform.addHook("filter",o,n,r,t)},doAction:function(o){gform.doHook("action",o,arguments)},applyFilters:function(o){return gform.doHook("filter",o,arguments)},removeAction:function(o,n){gform.removeHook("action",o,n)},removeFilter:function(o,n,r){gform.removeHook("filter",o,n,r)},addHook:function(o,n,r,t,i){null==gform.hooks[o][n]&&(gform.hooks[o][n]=[]);var e=gform.hooks[o][n];null==i&&(i=n+"_"+e.length),gform.hooks[o][n].push({tag:i,callable:r,priority:t=null==t?10:t})},doHook:function(n,o,r){var t;if(r=Array.prototype.slice.call(r,1),null!=gform.hooks[n][o]&&((o=gform.hooks[n][o]).sort(function(o,n){return o.priority-n.priority}),o.forEach(function(o){"function"!=typeof(t=o.callable)&&(t=window[t]),"action"==n?t.apply(null,r):r[0]=t.apply(null,r)})),"filter"==n)return r[0]},removeHook:function(o,n,t,i){var r;null!=gform.hooks[o][n]&&(r=(r=gform.hooks[o][n]).filter(function(o,n,r){return!!(null!=i&&i!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][n]=r)}});</script>
<div class='gf_browser_unknown gform_wrapper gform_legacy_markup_wrapper' id='gform_wrapper_12' ><div id='gf_12' class='gform_anchor' tabindex='-1'></div><form method='post' enctype='multipart/form-data' target='gform_ajax_frame_12' id='gform_12' action='/opinion/towards-a-new-radical-citizens-britain/#gf_12' novalidate>
<div class='gform_body gform-body'><ul id='gform_fields_12' class='gform_fields top_label form_sublabel_below description_below'><li id="field_12_5" class="gfield gravity_head gfield_html gfield_html_formatted gfield_no_follows_desc field_sublabel_below field_description_below gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_12_5"><h3>Get Email Alerts</h3>
<p>Keep updated on what's going on. Get email notifications</p></li><li id="field_12_1" class="gfield gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_hidden_label field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_12_1"><label class='gfield_label gfield_label_before_complex' >Name<span class="gfield_required"><span class="gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk">*</span></span></label><div class='ginput_complex ginput_container no_prefix has_first_name no_middle_name has_last_name no_suffix gf_name_has_2 ginput_container_name' id='input_12_1'>
<span id='input_12_1_3_container' class='name_first' >
<input type='text' name='input_1.3' id='input_12_1_3' value='' tabindex='1000' aria-required='true' placeholder='First Name*' />
<label for='input_12_1_3' class='hidden_sub_label screen-reader-text'>First</label>
</span>
<span id='input_12_1_6_container' class='name_last' >
<input type='text' name='input_1.6' id='input_12_1_6' value='' tabindex='1002' aria-required='true' placeholder='Last Name*' />
<label for='input_12_1_6' class='hidden_sub_label screen-reader-text'>Last</label>
</span>
</div></li><li id="field_12_2" class="gfield gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_12_2"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_12_2' >Email<span class="gfield_required"><span class="gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk">*</span></span></label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_email'>
<input name='input_2' id='input_12_2' type='email' value='' class='large' tabindex='1004' placeholder='Email*' aria-required="true" aria-invalid="false" />
</div></li><li id="field_12_4" class="gfield gf-conf-check gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below field_description_below hidden_label gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_12_4"><label class='gfield_label gfield_label_before_complex' >Confirmation<span class="gfield_required"><span class="gfield_required gfield_required_asterisk">*</span></span></label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_checkbox'><ul class='gfield_checkbox' id='input_12_4'><li class='gchoice gchoice_12_4_1'>
<input class='gfield-choice-input' name='input_4.1' type='checkbox' value='Please keep me updated on new website content and Radix news. (We will process your data in accordance with our <span class="pp"><a href="https://radixuk.org/privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a></span>. You may withdraw this consent at any time by <a href=""mailto:
[email protected]"">emailing us</a> or clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of our emails).' id='choice_12_4_1' tabindex='1005' />
<label for='choice_12_4_1' id='label_12_4_1'>Please keep me updated on new website content and Radix news. (We will process your data in accordance with our <span class="pp"><a href="https://radixuk.org/privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a></span>. You may withdraw this consent at any time by <a href="mailto:
[email protected]">emailing us</a> or clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of our emails).</label>
</li></ul></div></li><li id="field_12_6" class="gfield gform_validation_container field_sublabel_below field_description_below gfield_visibility_visible" data-js-reload="field_12_6"><label class='gfield_label' for='input_12_6' >Name</label><div class='ginput_container'><input name='input_6' id='input_12_6' type='text' value='' autocomplete='new-password'/></div><div class='gfield_description' id='gfield_description_12_6'>This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.</div></li></ul></div>
<div class='gform_footer top_label'> <input type='submit' id='gform_submit_button_12' class='gform_button button' value='SUBSCRIBE' tabindex='1006' onclick='if(window["gf_submitting_12"]){return false;} if( !jQuery("#gform_12")[0].checkValidity || jQuery("#gform_12")[0].checkValidity()){window["gf_submitting_12"]=true;} ' onkeypress='if( event.keyCode == 13 ){ if(window["gf_submitting_12"]){return false;} if( !jQuery("#gform_12")[0].checkValidity || jQuery("#gform_12")[0].checkValidity()){window["gf_submitting_12"]=true;} jQuery("#gform_12").trigger("submit",[true]); }' /> <input type='hidden' name='gform_ajax' value='form_id=12&title=&description=&tabindex=999' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='is_submit_12' value='1' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submit' value='12' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_unique_id' value='' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='state_12' value='WyJbXSIsIjg1ZGYwZWM3YzAyMDRmYTcyZDYxNmIwMWJiNmFhYzVhIl0=' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_target_page_number_12' id='gform_target_page_number_12' value='0' />
<input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_source_page_number_12' id='gform_source_page_number_12' value='1' />
<input type='hidden' name='gform_field_values' value='' />
</div>
<p style="display: none !important;"><label>Δ<textarea name="ak_hp_textarea" cols="45" rows="8" maxlength="100"></textarea></label><input type="hidden" id="ak_js_1" name="ak_js" value="63"/><script>document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );</script></p></form>
</div>
<iframe style='display:none;width:0px;height:0px;' src='about:blank' name='gform_ajax_frame_12' id='gform_ajax_frame_12' title='This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms.'></iframe>
<script type="text/javascript">
gform.initializeOnLoaded( function() {gformInitSpinner( 12, 'https://radixuk.org/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_12').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_12');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_12').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery('html').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(jQuery('body').css('margin-top'), 10) + 100;if(is_form){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass('gform_validation_error')){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').addClass('gform_validation_error');} else {jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').removeClass('gform_validation_error');}setTimeout( function() { /* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome */ jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').offset().top - mt); }, 50 );if(window['gformInitDatepicker']) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window['gformInitPriceFields']) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery('#gform_source_page_number_12').val();gformInitSpinner( 12, 'https://radixuk.org/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg' );jQuery(document).trigger('gform_page_loaded', [12, current_page]);window['gf_submitting_12'] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK').html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}setTimeout(function(){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_12').replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gf_12').offset().top - mt);jQuery(document).trigger('gform_confirmation_loaded', [12]);window['gf_submitting_12'] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery('#gform_confirmation_message_12').text());}, 50);}else{jQuery('#gform_12').append(contents);if(window['gformRedirect']) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger('gform_post_render', [12, current_page]);} );} );
</script>
I am yet to read both the original article and the authors’ pamphlet – but strictly from the two descriptions (‘Citadel’ and ‘Citizens’ Britain) my impression is that those are extreme and therefore wrong. Written obviously for allegorical illustration, they are like the non-existent black and white ends of a real-life grey scale.
The reality (at least the one I live in) is a mix of both, if you take any of them and sprinkle it with elements of the other, this would probably produce a more accurate description of real Britain. Elements like ‘many workers own their jobs and are self-employed’, or they ‘retrain at least once in their lifetime’ – belong to ‘Citadel’ Britain, being very much facts of today’s life. If Mr Ashdown and the authors of this piece see those as something positive, they might credit the hated ‘Citadel’ for that. On the other hand, a true Citizens’ Britain would benefit from measures that motivate work (a ‘citadel’ practice), rather than motivating non-work through benefits…
I could have saved you all the superfluous writing by posting just a short sentence:
_Nothing is pure black or white._
I was working for the Lib Dems when Paddy’s book was published. His analysis and prescription was really powerful: as Jon and Ian point out the former has sadly withstood the test of time; but some of his prescriptions have been overtaken by events not least by the constitutional reforms of the Blair Government. The next stage of further devolution to communities and to a hyperlocal level is much harder.
I think this somewhat eclectic selection of essays is a useful addition to that debate. I am not sure I buy Adam Lent’s Community Power Act not because the principle isn’t spot on but because it focusses on institutions. Personally, I am more excited by Vidhya and Will’s Community Heroes Fund which seems to be a creative mechanism to empower local social entrepreneurs.
The role of local entrepreneurial leadership is however missing. Are metro mayors a step forward taking power away from the centre, or undermining local authorities? I suspect the former but I know many Lib Dems would disagree with me. And how do we allow learning from mistakes by community entrepreneurs? The Lib Dems call for more local decision making and then rail against what they call the postcode lottery; how do we allow room for failed experiments? And community empowerment is all very well in communities with lots of social capital – volunteers and voluntary organisations run by well educated middle classes – but can we apply the same structures to areas without the same human resources or infrastructure (the contrasts revealed between constituencies in our booklet ‘Together Again’ are interesting on this.)
So congratulations to Ian and Jon on starting an important debate and giving a platform to lots of important voices, but there is still some way to go to a coherent policy proposal. And whether the Lib Dems are equipped to take forward this debate is another question altogether…