Rescuing
Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected
Dictatorship
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Spin, not
face-to-face confrontations with the voters, is the Government's
chosen method of communication. Ordinary
people are dangerous. Ordinary people might ask a question
which throws a politician 'off message'; the Cabinet member
might reveal himself or herself to be a human being like
us, and not a programmed android. Worse still, he or she
might tell the truth.
Ann Leslie - Daily Mail, September
16, 2004
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After
a clear vote against them, we still got eight non-elected
Regional Assemblies. When we vote against the EU Constitution,
we'll get them anyway. Letter from P.Cove, Aylesbury,
BUCKS.- Daily Mail, January 31, 2005
THE
TIMES slavish support for the Government worries some
members of the paper's staff, not to mention any perspicacious
readers who are left. Political editor Philip Webster
was questioned about this when he addressed colleagues
as part of an in-house 'masterclass' exercise. Small wonder.
One of his Blair-worshipping subordinates wrote a news
story yesterday poo-pooing the row over Labours anti-semitic
poster mocking Michael Howard, saying it was merely £5million
worth of 'free publicity' for the party. Ephraim Hardcastle
- Daily Mail, Febrauary 2, 2005
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Collapse
of the classrooms as hooligans win power struggle
Number
of schools plagued by thugs almost doubles in one year
By
Sarah Harris, Education Correspondent, Daily Mail, February 3,
2005
The
shocking breakdown of discipline and standards of education in
the country's schools was laid bare yesterday. The number of schools
plagued by classroom hooligans has almost doubled in the last
year, Ofsted figures revealed. More than 300 secondary schools
are battling to control serious discipline problems - the worst
figure since Labour came to power. The collapse in classroom order
exposed in the education watchdog's annual report, is being blamed
for a huge increase in the number of failing schools.
TRUANCY
Attendance
is unsatisfactory in around a quarter or primaries and
secondaries, says Ofsted. At primary level, heads are
not being 'supported sufficiently by parents in ensuring
that children attend regularly and punctually'. At secondary
level, poor attendance is 'often associated with poor
achievement overall'.
PRIMARIES
The
standard of teaching is deemed by Ofsted to be only satisfactory
or worse in almost one in three schools. Inspectors say
that schools are not doing enough to let pupils know how
they can improve. There is a gap in achievement levels
between a number of subjects.
SECONDARIES
Teaching
in unsatisfactory in almost one in ten secondary schools
and maths is 'beset with problems'. Teaching is only good
or better in this subject in around half of schools. There
is a 'pressing need' to tackle poor literacy and numeracy
levels among children in their first year.
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The problem
is being compounded by a hard-core of more than one in ten primary
and secondary schools - around 2,000 in total - which are coasting
and failing to make any progress. The findings will damage many
parents' faith in the state education system - dealing a major
blow to Tony Blair ahead of the General Election.
They
are also a serious setback for new Education Secretary Ruth Kelly
who attempted a preemptive strike on Tuesday by announcing a spate
of fresh government measures to tackle ill-discipline, including
more frequent inspections.
But
David Bell, Ofsted's chief inspector of schools, yesterday warned
Ministers against taking further short-term initiatives. He said:
"The truth is we need a continuing focus on our schools and
colleges on the things that bring about success - clear leadership,
good teaching and high expectations and orderly environments."
Tim
Collins, Tory education spokesman, said Labour's education system
had 'finally been seen to fail the test', He said: "Conservatives
are convinced that schools which perform poorly in their teaching
assessment are those with the worst disciplinary record. It is
therefore no surprise that Ruth Kelly has decided to raise this
problem just weeks before an election - with the Government having
ignored it for nearly eight years."
Among
the comprehensives judged by Ofsted to be failing last year was
Burlington Danes Church of England School in West London. Discipline
problems there were so bad that the school - which has since appointed
a new head - was forced to form a 'rapid response team' to go
to classes when teachers believed the situation was beyond their
control.
The
annual Ofsted report reveals that a small proportion of secondary
schools have good standards of behaviour now than when Labour
came to power. In 1996-7, 76% of secondary schools had a good
or better standard of behaviour compared to 68% in 2003-4. Meanwhile,
the proportion where behaviour is unsatisfactory or worse has
risen from 6% to 9% over the same period.
This
means that almost one in ten secondary schools is failing to keep
a lid on discipline - almost double the figure of 5% in 2002-3.
At the same time, one in four secondary schools is doing only
just enough to keep control in their classrooms. Their standards
of behaviour are simply 'satisfactory'.
The
report stresses that serious incidents are rare and most poor
behavior is 'low level disruption'. This includes 'incessant chatter,
calling out, inattention and other forms of nuisance that irritate
staff and interrupt learning'. The report says: "Very few
schools are immune from incidents of bad behaviour. In almost
all schools there are pupils who have a tendency to behave badly
on a repeated basis."
The
overall number of failing schools - which are so bad they could
face closure unless they improve - was 332 in 2003-4. This is
a rise of a fifth from 282 in the previous year. But 36 struggling
schools were closed last summer which would have made the total
even higher. Another 400 schools are causing Ofsted concern due
to their poor standard of education.
For
the health of our democracy, we, the people of the United Kingdom,
must find a way to force Mr Blair to resign
Such
defiance of the democratic process and the will of the majority
of we people of the UK, must be exposed by voters as a matter
or urgency, and not just in the two by-elections we have had this
July and the European elections in June 2004. But how can this
be done?
The
most effective way of getting our deceitful PM to resign would
be to mobilise the army of Labour MPs currently in the House of
Commons and get them to demand it, the loss of their seat to be
a penalty if they did not. All voters in Labour-held constituencies
need to write a letter along these lines to their local Labour
MPs:
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Dear
Despite
his absolute and unequivocal assurances over the past year
of the serious risk to our security of Saddam Hussein's
'weapons of mass destruction', Prime Minister Blair
has admitted, that the threat was non-existent. For that
critical error of judgement and for his gross incompetence
in handling this very important issue, I ask you to take
immediate steps to ensure that Tony Blair does the honourable
thing and resign without delay..
I
would therefore be much obliged if you would propose and
help mobilise a Parliamentary vote of 'No Confidence' in
Mr Blair which, despite Labour's huge majority, would leave
the PM with no option but to resign.
If
I get no reply to this letter, I shall assume you will continue
to support Mr Blair as our Prime Minister. In such circumstances
I shall not vote for you in the forthcoming General Election.
Signed:
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Simple,
non-violent, protest letters along these lines on a variety of
issues could be the basis for re-vitalising our democracy and
increasing voters' interest and participation in politics. Download
a printable copy of the above letter here.
There
is another way for the voice of the silent majority to be heard,
a voice that made sure broken promises would not only be revealed,
but punished in subsequent elections.
In
the year available before the General Election expected in 2005,
many topics are available as ammunition, each one asking questions.
A weapon for our purpose will be the results of Opinion Polls
in individual constituencies using ICM, NOP, Gallop, Mori
or YouGov.
Questions
suggested for this purpose are listed here.
CAST
YOUR VOTE ON A VARIETY OF OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES HERE.
Current
and prospective Parliamentary candidates of all Parties running
for election could share a platform at public forums in every
constituency. They would be presented with the results of
polls on this issue expressed by the majority of voters in that
constituency.
The candidates could be asked if their own views and that of their
Party manifesto corresponded with the polls, and if not, how they
intended to represent the will of the majority of local voters.
Local and National Press, Radio and TV coverage would be arranged
and the results published on this web site.
Here
is another powerful strategy for using your vote effectively in
the forthcoming General Election. Send your sitting and prospective
MPs a letter defining your requirements if they want your vote.
This example deals with the proposed
EU Constitutional Treaty.
Your
letters would end: "If you do not answer
this letter, I shall take it that you intend to follow the Government
line. I shall act accordingly in the forthcoming General Election.
Or
why not create a questionnaire that you send to all the candidates
in your constituency, getting them to give yes/no answers to questions
of your choice, and ending it with the same paragraph(above).
Download
a printable example of the questionnaire.
It
is high time for the people of this United Kingdom to stop allowing
themselves to be manipulated by politicians. We need our representatives
in Parliament to genuinely reflect the view of the majority in
their own constituency, even if this means going against their
personal and/or their party's policy. While they may argue their
case, hoping to change the minds of the majority in their constituency,
they should ultimately be obliged to reflect the majority view
of those who elect them.
It
will be argued by politicians of all parties that most voters
don't have the knowledge necessary to express an opinion on important
subjects at issue, and that our vote is a form of delegated democracy.
We should argue that it is their duty to ensure that we voters
do have ready access to such information as is necessary to form
an intelligent opinion. That, after all, is one main purpose of
Opposition Parties in our Parliamentary Democracy.
Most
important of all, such proceedings would rekindle in voters their
latent interest and obligation to cast their vote, knowing that
the candidate of their choice would be more likely to act in accordance
with their wishes. A much higher turnout in elections would be
the result.
Contact
your local Party Chairman. Gain his support for setting up public
forums in your constituency on these, as well as any other relevant
topics, well before the next General Election expected in 2005.
You should then, depending on the integrity of the candidate of
your choice, feel fairly certain that your view on any subject
being debated in Parliament will more accurately be reflected
by your representative in that assembly.
