For a Brighter Yorkshire

When we talk about Liberating Yorkshire, we are talking about
Yorkshire’s freedom from Westminster’s dictate. The freedom to make for ourselves the decisions that affect our lives, to protect our wildlife and landscape, and that enable us to live good, fulfilling lives. Our objectives, in brief, are for:

• A Regional government that enables us to control our internal affairs. 

• A vibrant democracy that combines deliberative and participative practices with genuinely accountable elected representation, where everyday people can become the instigators of change.

• An ecological civilisation that harmonises our social needs with the needs of our natural environment and tackles the pressing issues of climate change.

• An inclusive Society that will ensure no one is left behind.

Implementing these objectives will require a shift away from neoliberal economics and vast constitutional change.

Neoliberalism is an ideology that prays on every aspect of our lives: our education and jobs, our healthcare and leisure, our relationships and mental well-being, the planet we inhabit, and the air we breathe. It has become so persistent that, for most people, it seems unavoidable, like a natural law.

But trace it back to its roots, and we discover that it is neither inevitable nor conclusive. It is a system conceived, spread, and then concealed by the powerful few for their benefit. This invisible doctrine connects and compounds the biggest problems we face today: global warming, the democratic deficit, rising inequality, the mental health crisis, and more.

Whichever political party is in power at Westminster, neoliberalism encourages unending economic growth, which is no longer appropriate on the finite planet we all inhabit and depend on. Preferential lobbying continues to benefit large international corporations to the detriment of
small and medium-sized local businesses, and the central government controls local government spending and policy decisions.

Our task is to create a new style of governing that listens to and works for the interests of local people and businesses.

The People’s Constitution For Yorkshire

The People’s Constitution is an initiative to create a codified instrument, readable and readily accessible, that describes the rules and institutions we need to govern ourselves. It will embrace a new kind of democracy, combining effective citizen participation with genuine representation and
a just economy that addresses the needs of the people and areas left behind as we gradually move towards an ecological civilisation.

We are still at the research stage of our project and will be for some time. The intention is to produce a report on our proposals by early 2026. In the meantime, we are planning a series of small public workshops, the first of which will be in York next April. Anyone interested in Yorkshire’s future or constitutional affairs will be welcome. Otherwise, you can contribute using our contact page. To keep up to date on progress, please visit the research library on this website.

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