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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How
Labour has kicked NHS dentists in the teeth
Our
NHS, not the World Health Service -
By
James Chapman, Political Correspondent, Daily Mail, February 16,
2005
The
debate over immigration dramatically escalated yesterday after
Michael Howard pledged to reclaim the NHS from 'health tourists'.
By screening would-be migrants for infectious diseases he would
stop the National Health Service from becoming a World Health
Service, he said.
TUBERCULOSIS
TB
in England has increased by 25% over the last 10 years.
More
than 6,000 people were newly diagnosed with TB in England
in 2002
Nearly
two thirds of TB sufferers were born abroad.
H
I V
The
average number of new HIV cases each year under the Tories
was 2,672. Under Labour it is 4,213.
80%
of those with heterosexually-acquired HIV in the UK in
2003 are thought to have been infected in Africa.
H
E P A T I T I S - C
In
2004 it was estimated that 200,000 people in England had
Hepatitis C.
Figures
for 2003 show 6512 new reports, double the number in 1997
(3038)
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The
Conservative leader was unveiling plans to introduce compulsory
TB and HIV tests for non-European citizens before they arrive
in the UK in a bid to stop them abusing the system to obtain treatment
for long-term conditions. As many as one in 10 patients at GP
surgeries do not qualify for free NHS care but get it anyway because
family doctors refuse to 'police' the rules.
Realising
the sensitivity of the issue, Mr Howard insisted it must be possible
to discuss immigration and health in a 'calm and sensible' manner.
"We want to maintain our high standards of public health
- and to make sure that the National health Service should continue
to be exactly that, a National Health Service, not a World Health
Service," he said. "Our aims are simple - to minimise
public health risks, to ensure British taxpayers get value for
money and to protect access to the NHS."
Government
figures suggest TB in England has increased by 25% in 10 years.
Mr Howard said nearly two-thirds of sufferers were born abroad.
Some 80% of people with heterosexually-acquired HIV in the UK
in 2002 are thought to have been infected in Africa. A responsible
government could not ignore such a problem, he said.
The
policy launch appeared to wrongfoot the Government. Rather than
arguing with Mr Howard, Immigration Minister Des Browne insisted
the Government already carried out, and was proposing more, migrant
health checks. He said people coming into the UK from high-risk
countries were routinely checked for TB. Tests had been carried
out on 175,000 people at Heathrow and 10,000 at Gatwick and around
100 infectious cases had been found.
But
Tory health spokesman Andrew Lansley said it was vital people
were screened before they arrived in the UK, and
for a range of diseases, not just TB. The Tory plans are modelled
on similar schemes in Australia and New Zealand. People coming
to Britain from outside the EU for between six and 12 months from
countries with a high incidence of TB would be required to undergo
a chest X-ray in their country of origin. They would pay for the
check themselves and require a health 'certificate' in order to
qualify to move to Britain.
Asylum
seekers would be excluded on the grounds that people fleeing persecution
should not be turned away because of ill-health. The plans threatened
to touch off a political storm. Kevin Curran, leader of the GMB
Union, said: "The Tories are trying to make an insidious
link between immigrants and disease. That is the sort of outrageous
message I'd expect to hear from the BNP, not a supposedly mainstream
party."
Lisa
Power of the Aids charity, the Terence Higgins Trust, accused
the Tories of drawing up the policy based on prejudice rather
than evidence.
*
Mr Browne caused further embarrassment for Mr Blair by admitting
there was no 'obvious limit' on the number of overseas workers
who could find jobs here. Echoing his boss Charles Clarke's admission
that more immigrants should come to the country to work and study,
he told Radio 4's Today programme that 'an expanding economy'
should not limit the amount of work it could provide.
Why
Howard is right to speak out
Comment - Daily Mail, February 16,
2005
It
is a reflection on the poverty of political debate that
when Michael Howard issues a commonsense call for immigrants
to be tested for TB, HIV and hepatitus B, he is treated
by the BBC Today programme, the LibDems and Labour activists
as though he has uttered a profanity.
Yet
Mr Howard has put his finger on a deeply disturbing problem.
Not so long ago, TB was virtually eradicated in this country,
but in the last decade has increased by 25% - when levels
are falling in every other European nation. And the reason,
overwhelmingly, is legal immigration from high risk areas.
More than 7,000 in Britain now have the disease with two-thirds
coming from abroad.
Infection
is spreading as fast here as in such TB black spots as
Kazakhstan. The cost to the NHS can be £100,000
per patient. Meanwhile Hepatitis B is sharply on the increase,
with more than 90% of cases coming from overseas. And
80% of HIV infections originate in Africa, with each case
costing up to £1 million.
Other
countries aren't afraid to protect their health services.
The US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - nations built
on immigration - all insist on health checks for incomers
without provoking kneejerk accusations of 'racism'. So
why can't Britain adopt such a policy too?
Mr
Howard is being both practical and honest. He simply wants
to end the drain on our hard-pressed NHS, whidh doesn't
even begin to provide an adequate service for indigenous
Britons.
This
country has buried its head in the sand for too long on
this issue. Michael Howard deserves support.
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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.
