Westminster Protesters Launch DAO to Decide Future of UK Budget

London, UK — Parliament Square saw an unusual twist on civic activism yesterday as protesters unveiled a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) designed to “take back control” of the UK budget from Westminster politicians.

From Placards to Protocols

The demonstration began like any other, with chants, banners, and papier-mâché caricatures of cabinet ministers. But instead of petitions, organizers invited the public to join a blockchain-based platform where token holders vote directly on spending priorities.

One protester explained, “Why should MPs decide how billions are spent on HS2 or defense when ordinary people can decide with smart contracts? A DAO never fiddles expenses.”

Dubbed the “People’s Budget DAO,” the project aims to crowdsource fiscal decisions from NHS funding to pothole repairs. Participation costs just £1 in gas fees—or, for early adopters, one sausage roll from Greggs’ newly launched crypto pilot.

Political Shockwaves

The idea rattled Westminster. Some MPs dismissed the project as a publicity stunt, while others expressed alarm at the possibility of losing budgetary control to an internet ledger.

The Chancellor told reporters, “A nation’s budget cannot be run like a group chat. That’s not fiscal policy, that’s fiscal anarchy.”

Supporters, however, argue Britain’s long tradition of public debate naturally extends to decentralized finance. “It’s just Magna Carta on the blockchain,” said one academic from Oxford.

How the DAO Works

Participants join by purchasing BudgetTokens, which function as votes. Proposals range from raising teacher salaries to allocating 10 percent of GDP toward “national meme production.”

Votes are tallied on-chain, with decisions coded into smart contracts that, in theory, would automatically execute Treasury transactions. The Treasury has not confirmed whether it intends to honor such outcomes.

Public Reactions

Londoners offered mixed views. Some saw it as satire, others as a serious attempt at reform. “If TikTok teens can move markets, maybe they can balance the budget better than Parliament,” said one passerby.

On Twitter, hashtags like #DAOonDowningStreet and #BudgetChain trended, alongside memes of the Prime Minister photoshopped as a Bored Ape.

Analysts and Economists Weigh In

Financial experts were divided. Some hailed the experiment as a democratic innovation that could increase trust in government spending. Others warned of chaos if meme-driven votes outweighed economic logic.

“Imagine if the DAO decides to allocate the entire defense budget to free Nando’s,” one LSE economist remarked. “Technically possible, politically disastrous.”

The Road Ahead

Organizers plan to keep the DAO running throughout the budget season, promising “weekly referendums on everything from tax rates to biscuit subsidies.” While its actual impact on fiscal policy remains uncertain, the movement has already succeeded in drawing attention to frustrations with Britain’s political process.

For now, the People’s Budget DAO has no legal authority. But if its momentum grows, MPs may find themselves competing not just with opposition benches, but with blockchains.

As one viral tweet summed it up: “Democracy 2.0: now with gas fees.”