Guardians event - hosted by GUARDIAN newspaper!

 

Radical 'super jury' proposal to be piloted

 

 

A radical new idea to charge a 'super jury' of ordinary people with powers greater than the House of Lords will be trialled in London on 25^th April 2012.  Green House think tank Chair Dr. Rupert Read will demonstrate how his idea for 'Guardians for future generations' would work at a public meeting at King's Place, London: Twelve of those attending the meeting will be picked at random to form a mock-jury to 'decide' on an issue of vital importance to future people…

 

The event follows Dr Read's successful launch of the original 'Guardians for Future Generations' report at the House of Commons in January. The report proposes that a council of randomly-picked members of the public, like a jury, should be placed above the House of Lords to oversee all government decisions. The Guardians' central powers would be a veto over new legislation that threatens the interests of future generations, and a right to force a review of existing legislation that is already damaging their basic needs.

 

 

Notes for Editors:

 

-          The 'super-jury' pilot will take place at a public meeting at 6.00pm [for 6.30] on 25^th April 2012, at The Scott Room, The Guardian, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1 9GU. The meeting will be co-hosted by Green House Think Tank and The Guardian newspaper.

-          Rupert Read, Chair of Green House, will headline the meeting along with Polly Higgins and the Hungarian Ombudsman for Future Generations, Sandor Fulop (via Skype). The 'mock-super-jury' session on Ap. 25 is modelled on Polly Higgins's 'mock-ecocide-trial' of last year: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2011/sep/29/ecocide-oil-criminal-court

-          Cameras and media welcome to attend.

-          Entrance is free and refreshments (food and drink) will be provided. Members of the public are encouraged to attend; however entry will be on a first-come first-served basis.

-          An insight into online debate sparked by the 'Guardians for Future Generations' launch in January can be viewed here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/damian-carrington-blog/2012/jan/04/climate-politics-future-generation-justice?

-          Further information about Green House think tank can be found at http://www.greenhousethinktank.org.