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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Trying
to stem tide of African migrants is futile, says Blair
By
Paul Eastham, Deputy Political Editor, Daily Mail - December 31,
2004
Tony
Blair has admitted that trying to shut Britain's borders to mass
immigration from Africa is 'utterly futile'. Nine months after
promising to tighten up the immigration system, he conceded that
migrants cannot be kept out,
The
Premier said: "We must now all accept the utter futility
of trying to shut our borders to problems abroad. Famine in Africa
will affect our countries because it will be a trigger for mass
migration."
Mr
Blair's extraordinary declaration came in a four-page article
he contributed to the Economist magazine in advance of Britain
taking the presidency of the G8 group of the world's richest countries.
A major drawback to mass immigration from Africa could be the
Aids crisis the continent is facing.
This
year's report on AIDs in Britain, issued by the Health Protection
Agency, shows that hetero-sexually-acquired HIV has taken off.
It is growing by a factor of five in the past decade to reach
3,800 new cases last year. And of those infections, 90% are believed
to have been acquired overseas, mostly in Africa.
Despite
the figures, the Government has decided against compulsory HIV
tests for people coming into the country from AIDS hotspots.
Last
night, critics were saying that Mr Blair's article is an admission
that the immigration and asylum system is out of control. Sir
Andrew Green, director of the Migrationwatch think-tank, said:
"We certainly need to provide more effective help for Africa.
But it is extraordinary to suggest that we should weaken our own
border controls , as 80% want to see them strengthened."
The
official forecasts for population growth in regions of England
were published last month by the Office for National Statistics.
These said that of the projected 6.1million increase in population
by 2031, 3.6million will be migrants. Migrationwatch believes
that if migrants' subsequent children are added, the increase
from migration will be 5.1million, and that Mr Blair's latest
admission indicates the total will be even higher.
The
Premier's controversial remark came as he explained how he intended
to use the G8 presidency to encourage other rich countries to
help Africa. He argued that democratic governments give millions
of dollars to help Africa and voters demand they do more to tackle
poverty there.
But
then Mr Blair suggested that nations such as Britain have no choice
but to accept that a wave of new migrants to these shores is inevitable.
It was 'hopeless and probably heartless' to try to keep them out.
He
wrote: "The state of Africa is also a case, unusual in politics,
where heart and head are pushing us in the same direction. We
must now all accept the utter futility of trying to shut our borders
to problems abroad. Famine in Africa will affect our countries
because it will be a trigger for mass migration. Conflict, too,
drives millions to flee. Both create the conditions for terrorism
and fanaticism to take root and spread directly to Europe, to
North America and to Asia. We spend billions on humanitarian aid
to help pick up the pieces. A prosperous Africa, where its people
have the chance to fulfill their talents, is in all our interests."
It
was an extraordinary change of tone from Mr Blair's statement
in April. Then, in an attempt to calm fears of a new wave of migrants
arriving when ten mainly Eastern European countries were about
to join the EU, the Premier insisted the Government was tightening
controls. He said Britain had reached a crunch point on immigration.
At times using language barely distinguishable from that of anti-immigration
campaigners, Mr Blair said concerns about abuse of asylum procedures
were legitimate. He said scams were 'real and not imagined' and
caused a genuine sense of unfairness.
He added that such feelings of unease could not be dismissed
as figments of racist imagination.
The
last major exodus from Africa to reach Britain was in 1968 when
Kenya gained independence and 200,000 Kenyans were forced to choose
British of Kenyan nationality. More than 80,000 took up residence
in Britain. Four years later a further 80,000 fled here from Idi
Amin's brutal regime in Uganda.
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.
