Rescuing
Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected
Dictatorship
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Come
back Gilligan, all is forgiven. Penny Young, Diss, Norfolk,
to The Guardian, February 24, 2005
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
Power
cut, please
Labour's
pollsters have Tony Blair running scared, because they have
informed him that if turnout at the next election is below
50%, the result will be a hung parliament. This would be
good news for those of us who, viewing the damage inflicted
by recent governments, would like nothing better than a
Parliament powerless to do anything. Letter from Ron
Phillips, London W14 - Daily Mail 17/2/05
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Tony
Blair's pledge cards made no mention of pensioners. Perhaps
they're the jokers.
Letter
to the Daily Mail from Brian Green, Daventry, Northants
- February 22, 2005
The
Guardian's Polly Toynbee says 'a profoundly nasty streak'
among voters worried about poverty, crime and immigration
might cause them to vote against the Government. Isn't
it time we replaced the present electorate with one more
to Polly's liking? Ephraim Hardcastle, Daily Mail,
February 24, 2005
Back
to the future
'Forward
not Back' is quite wrong: we must go back - back to clean
hospitals with more medical staff and fewer managers;
back to education with proven standards.
Back
to police on the street and solving crime; back to increased
employment in industry, back to ministers who stand up
for this country and back to democratic government. Then,
perhaps, we can move forward. Letter from S, M. Butler,
Shoreham-by-Sea, Sussex - Daily Mail, March 23, 2005
Virtues
of a secret ballot
Sir
- Concerning postal votes (report Mar 23) what is the
first principle of a democratic political vote? Answer:
THE SECRET BALLOT.
It
is obvious that a postal ballot is only as secret as the
moral strength of the voter. With the infinite propaganda
powers of today's electronic media, it is frighteningly
easy for devious politicians to promote politically correct
or "cool" or, most wickedly, "honest and
transparent" voting patterns, where someone failing
to vote "with his/her group" must "have
something to hide".
Postal
voting should, at best, be allowable only to persons who
are required to be stationed away from their constituency
on government business. A few temporary disfranchisements
may result, but nothing is perfect.
Letter from J. B. Lewis, Bognor Regis, West Sussex - The
Daily Telegraph, March 25, 2005
Discipline?
We can only learn it from our parents
I
was one of the original London Teddy Boys. When we first
appeared, the police and the media accused us of every
sort of mayhem and mischief, though the reality was very
different. We were, in fact, just a bunch of pasty-faced
youths who wore Edwardian-style fashions and hung about
on street corners trying to look harder than we were.
We lived in the shadow of fathers and uncles who had fought
a world war. Many of us, in turn, went on to do National
Service.
After
grammar school, I became a long-serving officer in the
London Fire Brigade, the father of three, stepfather of
four, and I have an exemplary record. My poor, but devoted,
parents made sure I had a first-class education and disciplined
lifestyle.
These
days, it's the turn of the 'feral' youths in 'hoodies'
and baseball caps to take the stick. But if they lack
the discipline, respect and values of my 'yob' generation,
it's because they are the products of substandard, anything
goes parenting. That, in turn, is the fault of lazy, self-serving
politicians and a society obsessed with materialism.
The
young, with their half-formed minds, have too much to
say and too great an influence.
Society
has become lazy and apathetic in its attitude towards
directing teenagers to civilised behaviour. We have betrayed
our greatest asset - our young - and we must live with
it.
Respect?
My generation had it in spades. Teddy Boys or not, we
knew our parents had earned it the hard way through war,
courage and sacrifice. We can't start another world war
to gain the respect of the young, but wee can fight a
system that's destroying the credibility of parenting,
marriage and the cornerstone of civilised society - discipline.
We
should stop whining about the old days and shying away
from harsh decisions. The young weren't around in the
old days - they know no different. But we were, and it's
time we knocked a few parental and political heads together
and stopped betraying all those magnificent people who
gave their todays for our tomorrows. John Barker, Angmering,
W. Sussex - Daily Mail, May 26, 2005.
Who's
keeping the peace?
What
has become of keeping the Queen's peace? Policemen once
swore to uphold and maintain that peace when they were
appointed constables. A breach of the Queen's peace was
- and, I believe, still is - a criminal offence. Why have
none of the louts and yobs who have made life hell for
so many of her people not been prosecuted for having,
at the very least, breached the Queen's peace.
Letter
from David Bourne, Winchelsea, E. Sussex, Daily Mail,
May 26, 2005.
Cowboy
Britain
Watching
a Western on TV, I realised nothing much has changed.
Half-a-dozen gun en wandered into town and caused mayhem
because the mild-mannered sheriff saw no need to get tough.
After a few killings, the sheriff, in despair, yelled:
"Why?". A gunman replied: "Because there's
no law here to stop me, so I can."
Doesn't
that just sum up our country today, Sheriff Blair?
Letter
from J. Davies, Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire - Daily Mail,
May 26, 2005
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How
we'll tame yob families
Misery
makers will face jail, benefit cuts and eviction
By
Graeme Wilson, Political Correspondent - Daily Mail, April 7,
2005
Parents
of young thugs will have their benefits slashed or be locked up
in prison at the weekend under a Conservative crackdown on Britain's
yob families. Tory leader Michael Howard yesterday promised a
raft of new powers to target the lawless minority who create misery
for communities across the country.
Councils
will be able to slash housing benefit paid to families whose children
are convicted of anti-social behaviour three or more times and
throw them out of their homes - a policy Tony Blair promised three
years ago and then quietly dropped. In addition, courts will be
able to send parents who are not on benefit to jail at the weekends
if they fail to control their children.
There
will also be new powers to stop hooligans getting a driving licence
when they turn 17. Mr Howard unveiled the package with a pledge
to stand up for the law-abiding majority of families who work
hard and try to raise their children to do the right thing.
The
Tories accused Mr Blair of 'pussyfooting around' on crime. They
stressed that 4,000 anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) have
been handed to yobs under Labour - yet 1,600 have been breached.
Despite this, only 30 people have been jailed for breaking their
order. "It's time to give the yobs a dose of the fear that
they've been dishing out to the rest of us," said Mr Howard.
The
Tory package will impose new 'supervision orders on families of
young thugs which will force them to face up to their responsibilities
as parents. "This tiny minority of troublesome families also
need to understand that, if they don't mend their ways, they risk
being forced to leave their neighbourhood," he said.
"So we will give local authorities
the power to withhold housing benefit from families whose immediate
members are convicted three or more times of anti-social behaviour.
This is tough I know. But we've got to take a stand."
For
those families not on benefit, there will be new powers to send
them to prison at the weekend. Mr Howard also promised to expand
existing powers to take driving licences away from criminals.
Under the Tories, courts will be able to stop young hooligans
getting a licence when they reach 17.
"Youngsters
will know that if they don't behave, they won't drive. After all,
a car is one of the biggest status symbols a youngster can have,
" said Mr Howard. He dismissed claims that he was indulging
in the politics of fear and insisted his party was addresssing
real fears about Britain's yob culture.
"I
can apply one criteria to everything I put forward and everything
I talk about: Is it in the best interest of Britain?" he
said. "I believe passionately that everyone is good at something
and has some good in them. We have to do everything we can to
rescue young tearaways, to try to put them on the straight and
narrow."
His
message was endorsed by Sandy Bruce Lockhart, the Tory leader
of Kent County Council, who said: "I think this is a policy
of hope."The Conservatives stressed that Mr Blair had unveiled
the idea of cutting housing benefit for yob families at Labour;s
2002 party conference.
A
consultation was launched on the proposals in March 2003, but
the idea quickly ran in resistance from senior Cabinet figures,
including Gordon Brown and John Prescott. The decision to drop
the proposal was smuggled out in January 2004 -on the same day
as the crucial Commons vote on student tuition fees.
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Tactical
Voting
As
UKIP member for several years, I believe the greatest
threat facing the British is the potential loss of our
independence to govern ourselves. Once Brussels gains
complete control, everything else we are voting for in
the coming election is academic. The real decisions will
be made in Brussels by people we can't vote out.
Much
as I support UKIP's aims, I now believe the single most
important goal for British voters is to remove Blair and
his rotten Government before they complete the process
of removing our sovereignty. Only a vote for Michael Howard
will do this - Letter to the Daily Mail from Tony Beverley,
London SW10 - April 7, 2005
Perhaps
Ann Widdecombe was right about Michael Howard, but it
should have been KNIGHT with a K, and he could have saved
us from the monsters Blair and Campbell - Letter to
the Dail Mayil from Les Fletcher, Rhos-on-Sea, Colwyn
Bay, Wales - February 18, 2005
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
Hold
the front page
Further
to BBC bias (Mail), very often on BBC Breakfast and Breakfast
With Frost, coverage of the morning papers is censored.
If the front page of the Daily Mail is critical of Tony
Blair and his Soviet-style Government, it is not shown,
although the front pages of all the other newspapers are
shown. A supposedly independent broadcasting body is acting
as censor for this Government - an absolute disgrace.
Letter from Peter Fish, Chippenham, Wilts. .- Daily Mail,
February 17, 2005
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The
REAL NASTY PARTY- How
Labour is the true home of spite, bigotry and contempt for the
public
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.
