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
Labour's betting boom will ruin more young lives
By
Matthew Hickley - Home Affairs Correspondent, Daily Mail - October
19, 2004
More
than 5% of children between 12 and 15 are problem gamblers, psychologists
have warned. And the rate of teenage addiction is like to explode
if plans for deregulation of the gaming industry go ahead. The
Government has been warned. Experts
urged ministers to use the Gambling Bill - to be published today
- to ban children from playing machines altogether - a call Culture
Secretary Tessa Jowell has rejected.
In
evidence to the Parliamentary committee which scrutinised the
Bill earlier this year, Jim Orford, Professor of Clinical and
Community Psychology at the University of Birmingham, rejected
Labour figures on gambling addiction. He said the Government had
been 'naughty' in using research data to claim Britain has a low
rate of problem gambling - around 0.8%.
We
can't all cash in on casino fans
Thanks
to its casinos, Las Vegas is the fastest-growing city
in America and has been for some years. If our Government
thinks it can repeat that trick in this country by allowing
a large casino to open in every major town, then it misunderstands
the nature of casino gambling in America.
In
the U.S. there are only a handful of major casino complexes
and half of them are in the same state. As a result, visitors
arrive from far and wide to spend their money in a few
local areas, bringing jobs and properity as a result before
returning to their own towns and cities, leaving their
local economies unaffected.
If
there is a major casino in every town in Britain, however,
this model will not apply. Locals will gamble in local
casinos and the local economy will suffer, as you can't
get out more than you put in and most of the profits will
be siphoned off into the pockets of American investors.
If
it is to work in this country at all, casinos need to
be concentrated into one or two areas capable of attracting
and accommodating large numbers of visitors: London and
Manchester, say, or perhaps Brighton and Blackpool. But
a casino in every town is a recipe for disaster.
Mike
Hoyle from Cheltenham, Gloucs., writing to the Daily Mail
- October 22, 2004
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Millions
never gamble at all, he said, but if addiction is measured among
those aged 26 to 35, or those who play fruit machines, the rate
is far higher. "I do not think we should continue to say
Britain has a low rate of problem gambling - it does not,"
said Professor Orford. He highlighted a recent study of 10,000
pupils aged 12 to 15 in 100 schools across England and Wales.
It exposed the highest rate of problem gambling of any age group
at more than 5% - the majority playing fruit machines. Applied
to the whole population, the study suggested that 125,000 12 to
15-year-olds are already problem gamblers.
In
the research commissioned by former Lottery regulator Oflot and
carried out by Plymouth University Centre for Research into the
Social Impact of Gambling, problem gambling was defined as a behaviour
which damaged the youngster's 'family, personal or recreational
pursuits'. Mark Griffiths, Professor of Gambling Studies at Nottingham
Trent University, told the committee that youth gambling addiction
involving slot machines represented 'a significant public health
concern'.
Under
current laws, he said, many teenagers hooked on fruit machines
managed to kick the habit in their late teens because the prizes
were too small to keep them interested. But reforms allowing vast
jackpots on casino fruit machines for over-16's meant young addicts
were 'more likely to go on playing for these huge unlimited prizes'.
Professor
Griffiths described how slot-machine players often experience
a 'disassociated state of mind, feeling detached from their bodies.
It is a common thing in Las Vegas casinos to find under the chairs
big pools of urine from those people who are so into their gambling,"
he said.
Dr
Emmanuel Moran, adviser on gambling to the Royal College of Psychiatrists,
said: "One-armed bandits are dangerous and the unlimited
prize makes them even more dangerous."
When
the current laws were drawn up years ago, he said, psychiatrists
were unaware of the potential problems. Under the new rules, children
will still be allowed to play machines with £5 jackpots
in amusement arcades and other 'family entertainment centres',
which could include motorway service stations.
Ministers
argue that by removing fruit machines from chip shops and minicab
offices, the Bill will reduce opportunities for child gambling,
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport said there was 'insufficient
evidence' to justify banning children from playing gaming machines.
Experts have warned that the free-for-all in the gaming industry
could lead to the number of addict soaring from around 300,000
to a million.
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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.
