We must find ways to introduce preference voting into UK politics because it encourages people out of the binary, and tribal way, we’re conditioned to think. Integrated into a well-designed event, it encourages people to consider other points of view. This, we believe, will lead to people identifying common ground, which they can build upon to create solutions that work for everybody. Recently Talk Shop held a webinar on this topic. What follows is an […]

Everyone is agreed: reforming the structure of government is vital to reviving local communities and economies in the left behind areas of the North. But if it is to flourish, this approach demands the knowing and full-hearted support of the people who will have to make it work, and not just the mayors, politicians and captains of industry. That’s why Talk Shop is planning a series of mini-conventions across the North designed to give local […]

Our sights are set high. We want to see Talk Shop used in communities all across the UK. We want to see it used for national issues – with ideas from any participant visible to all the others (a glimpse of the future!). And, we want to see it used for local issues too. We’ve set ourselves a two-part approach of working through nationwide networks, and through one-off local centres. Nationwide networks We’re looking to […]

30 people got together in a crowded hall in Liverpool to consider Growing Inequality in Britain and How to Turn the Tide Against It. Hosted by the Workers’ Educational Association and Toxteth TV, it was one of a series of Talk Shop events in Toxteth leading up to the 2015 General Election. After getting to grips with some of the facts around the situation, the facilitators offered five solutions including imposing a maximum salary alongside […]