UK Government Plans Committee Abolition Draw Local Leader Opposition

Local politicians in the UK have strongly opposed the government's plans to abolish the committee system in local councils and ban the creation of new directly elected mayors, arguing that such moves centralize power and undermine local democracy. Leaders like Joe Harris of the Liberal Democrats and Sheffield City Council's Green group leader Angela Argenzio criticize the plan as disregarding local preferences and reverting to less accountable governance models. In the U.S., grassroots assemblies in cities such as Providence, Detroit, and Richmond have been organizing to resist President Trump's agenda, emphasizing community self-governance and coordinated activism against policies viewed as authoritarian or harmful, including immigration enforcement. These assemblies provide inclusive, democratic spaces for strategizing and mobilizing progressive and anti-fascist efforts. Meanwhile, a conservative think tank, the Economic Policy Innovation Center (EPIC), has played a critical behind-the-scenes role influencing Republican congressional leaders in advancing President Trump’s tax and spending priorities, notably helping craft compromises to pass major legislation. Together, these developments reflect ongoing tensions between centralized authority and local or grassroots efforts to assert democratic control and policy influence.