Silent Majority Speaks

Rescuing Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected Dictatorship

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

 

WWW silentmajorityspeaks.com

Why should WE pay for this greed?

By Simon Heffer - Daily Mail, October 22, 2004

When we paid MPs nothing, or very little, to do their job, their quality was pretty high. Now that we pay them a fortune all we get, as Peter Oborne argued. is a bunch of useless freeloaders only too happy to jump on the Westminster gravy train. Similarly, when peers received only a token sum for attending the House of Lords, it was their public service ethic that motivated them to do superb work for this country.

Now it is proposed that we pay them around £300 a day just for turning up. Presumably that is because many of those left after the selfless hereditaries have been thrown out, won't do the job for anything less.

And that is the problem: politics is now a 'job'. It used to be a vocation. It used to be what some people did after they had made a successful career elsewhere. It was their way of giving something back to the country. Too many of those who sit in the Commons today - and increasingly in the Lords - are people who couldn't get a job doing anything else.

Now, with the publication of the details of MP's expenses - confirming the existence of a racket that has quite rightly shocked millions of voters and taxpayers, perhaps some of them will be shamed into cleaning up their act (although I doubt it). The startling fact that Tony Blair has, for example, quite legally claimed £43,000 in recent years for a house that cost him only £30,000 in the first place is only the tip of the iceberg.

The names of some of those near the top of the list of claimants will surprise no one. Discovering that Keith Vaz, who left the Government at the last election after probing questions about his financial probity, comes in at number two with a package of £164,000 a year is utterly predictable. In fact, nine of the top ten at the trough are Labour MPs.

The worst offence, though, is with their claims for staff costs. Of course, every MP needs a secretary. But why is it that even the most boring and humble of backbenchers seem in need of an entourage research assistants? Why was it that the country didn't come grinding to a half 30 or 40 years ago when MPs had no such people, but found the facts they needed themselves in the Commons library, and even wrote their own speeches.

The fact is that many MPs have acquired ideas way above their station and their abilities. Regarding themselves as god's gift to politics, they feel demeaned unless they engage in constant first-class travel and are surrounded by bag-carriers and flunkies to massage their egos. Taxpayers should not have to pay for such vanity. And nor is it in the taxpayers interests to have full-time MPs. Such politicians are completely out of touch with the real world.

MPs are simply not worth what we pay them. The system needs urgent reform - but few MPs, I fear, are going to vote to derail this high-speed gravy train.

Do you agree that it is not in the interest of taxpayers to have full-time Members of Parliament? Agree strongly Agree Disagree Disagree strongly Don't know Don't care Please click one of the links above to cast your vote Current results

 For the health of our democracy, we, the people of the United Kingdom, must find a way to force Mr Blair to resign

Mr Blair has lied and deceived us over Iraq. He must resign at once. Do you agree? Agree strongly Agree Disagree Disagree strongly Don't know Don't care Please click one of the links above to cast your vote Current results

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:

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:

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.