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• # Probably42

  

  • 176 posts
   

  July 7, 2026 5:09 PM BST

  Rethinking How We Govern Ourselves: UK 2.0

   

  Purpose

  This month we want to step back and consider, from first principles, how the UK should govern itself in the coming decades — especially in a world shaped increasingly by Artificial Intelligence. This is intended as a blank-sheet discussion, not a discussion about marginal reform of current institutions. Ideas are welcome even if they seem unconventional or only half-formed at first.

  Agenda

  • What has changed in the world since our system took its current shape? Which pressures now make incremental reform inadequate?
  • If we were designing the UK afresh in an AI-shaped world, what would our objectives be:
    • What should a good governing system enable?
    • What must it protect?
    • What must it balance? What should it never do?
    • What should we want it to achieve for its people?
  • Divergent thinking exercise - for this part, assume we are free to rethink the current model from first principles.
    • Is there an acceptable alternative to, or modified form of, democracy? Is the concept of sortition helpful?
    • Would we build a different relationship between politics, expertise and delivery?
    • Can AI free us from existing constraints?
    • Would we design representation and elections in a different way? Is there an alternative to political parties, manifestos and adversarial politics?
    • Would we create the same centre–local balance?
    • What is structurally broken in UK 1.0? What assumptions belong to another era?
  • What are the main design dimensions?
    • Citizen voice and participation?
    • Representation?
    • Expertise and evidence?
    • Long-term thinking?
    • Delivery and accountability?
    • The role of AI - Where can AI strengthen the system, and where should it be tightly bounded?
  • What alternative pragmatic models could we imagine that would achieve our objectives e.g.
    • a more participatory democratic model
    • a more expertise-integrated model
    • a more devolved and community-led model
    • a hybrid human–AI supported governance model

  Which model best improves trust and legitimacy?

  Which best supports better decisions?

   

  • Closing Thoughts
    • What feels most promising or distinctive?
    • What seems genuinely new relative to current Probably42 work?