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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How
the asylum and immigration system will be totally transformed
Phase
One
Britain
will withdraw from the 1951 UN Convention on Refugees. First framed
to deal with Soviet dissidents fleeing to the West, the Tories
say it is 'unworkable' when attempting to deal with mass migration.
It prevents governments taking immediate action to deport asylum
seekers whose claims are obviously not genuine. It means that
all applicants have the right to go through the full consideration
and appeals process.
In
addition to withdrawing from the Convention, a Tory Government
would enter formal reservations against those parts of the European
Convention on Human Rights which might block the reforms.
Phase
Two
Parliament
would legislate its own asylum laws, giving the Home Secretary
powers to sanction the immediate removal of unfounded cases. Applicants
would be able to appeal but that would not delay their removal.
Those who would be immediately removed would include those arriving
from safe third country; those who claim asylum only when discovered
by the authorities; those stating in their visa applications they
will not seek asylum; those who have destroyed their documents;
those who have committed serious crimes; and those who are not
being persecuted by a state. Most of these powers already exist
but are rarely enforced.
Phase
Three
Claimants
found with no documents will be detained in asylum centres on
grounds of national security. The Tories say allowing people to
move freely around Britain with no documents simply because they
have claimed asylum undermines national security. This will cut
the numbers who destroy the documents, which is what a majority
of port applicants now do.
Phase
Four
The
Tories' long-term goal is to no longer consider asylum applications
in this country. Instead, Britain will take genuine refugees who
are in the care of the UN High Commission for Refugees. Those
applying for asylum will be immediately removed to one of a small
number of centres close to their region of origin where their
claim will be processed.
An
incoming Conservative Government will start negotiations with
a number of overseas governments to open these centres. They will
not accept any applications locally; they will be manned by both
British officials and local staff.
In
the event of a crisis overseas, eg revolution, the Home Secretary
would be able to rule that people from the affected country already
in Britain, working, or on holiday, or studying, could, exceptionally
- have their asylum claims processed here.
Quotas
A
Tory Government will legislate in its first Queen's Speech to
give Parliament the power to set an annual limit to immigration.
MPs will fix the numbers at the start of each Parliamentary session.
The Tories say this will provide 'transparency and accountability'
and will ensure that each year there is a debate about the scale
of immigration to the UK.
The
annual quotas will apply to all three categories of immigration
- asylum seekers, economic migrants and spouses and dependants.
In addition to quotas, economic migrants will be graded using
Australian-style points system which put those who can fill a
skills shortage in this country at the front of the queue.
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.
