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
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
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Expect
massive poll fraud, warn police
Voters
are being robbed of the power to stop Gipsies moving in
By
Jane Merrick - Political Reporter, Daily Mail, January 28, 2005
Sweeping
powers to impose Gipsy camps on communities were handed to an
army of unelected bureaucrats last night. With staggering disregard
for local democracy, John Prescott gave eight regional quangos
in England the say-so on how many travellers' sites there should
be in a council's area. Local authorities will have to meet targets
set by faceless bureaucrats who are accountable to no one.
Thousands
of caravans could be forced on villages and communities - whether
councils want them or not. The move will cause outrage at a time
when the number of illegal camps has increased by 60% in the last
two years. Hundreds of travellers have dodged eviction by using
human rights laws or clogging up the courts with planning appeals.
Critics last night accused Labour of going back to the days before
1994 when John Major scrapped powers forcing councils to establish
Gipsy camps.
The
rules are buried in a Government document on the future of planning
for Gipsy sites. Targets will be imposed by 'regional housing
boards', which are part if the unelected regional assemblies created
by the Deputy Prime Minister. Despite the overwhelming public
rejection of elected assemblies last year, eight regional bodies
already exist. They are made up of hand-picked councillors and
local businessmen.
Under
the rules, town halls would have to submit an assessment of the
situation in their area to the quangos. Each regional board would
then set a target for traveller sites - and councils would have
no choice but to accept. Local authorities would be free to decide
where sites are located but if they refuse to meet the targets,
inspectors have powers under the 2004 Housing Act to force them
through.
The
Tories' local government spokesman Phillip Hammond said last night:
"Under Labour, our planning system is in crisis. John Prescott's
response to travellers sidestepping planning laws is to let his
quangos impose more camps on every town. Local councils will be
forced to follow arbitrary diktats for new traveller camps - imposed
by unwanted and unelected regional bureaucrats. This will further
undermine the democratic legitimacy of the planning system and
aggravate community tensions." A Tory spokes-man added: "Whatever
happened to local democracy? This is a blatant disregard for democratically
elected councils."
Areas
with most 'demand' for Gipsy sites are likely to be hardest hit
by the quangos. Counties already suffering from illegal sites
include East Sussex, Cambridgeshire, Merseyside, Norfolk, Shropshire
and . Essex, There was no mention of the rules when Labour outlined
its proposals for Gipsy sites yesterday. Housing Minister Yvette
Cooper said local councils should 'do more' to identify sites
for Gipsies and travellers.
She
said the Government would provide funding to councils to pay for
new sites, pointing out that it has already paid out £25
million over the past four years to improve existing ones. A spokesman
for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said: "Our whole
approach is to mainstream Gipsy travellers into housing provision.
Local authorities identify sites, but their plans must be submitted
to regional boards."
Mr
Hammond said the Tories approach would stop unauthorised developments,
evict illegal occupiers and opt out of the Human Rights Act.
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.
