Silent Majority Speaks

Rescuing Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected Dictatorship

You will notice that, since New Labour came to power, not a single leading Cabinet member or party 'heavy hitter' has appeared on the programme (BBC's Question Time). 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

 

WWW silentmajorityspeaks.com

Half of the migrants allowed to stay are joining their families

By Jane Merrick - Political Reporter, Daily Mail, September 7, 2004

Nearly 50% of immigrants allowed to stay permanently in Britain are here to reunite with their families, it emerged yesterday. Of the 139,670 granted permanent settlement last year, 65,805 were dependent relatives while only 19,385 were given leave to stay for 'work-related reasons'.

Some 30,745 granted residency were the wives of imigrants, 17,345 were husbands, 8,900 children and 8,815 elderly parents and other relatives. The figures - revealed in a report commissioned by Shadow Home secretary David Davis from Tory MEP and former Immigration Minister Timothy Kirkhope - undermine the Government's argument that immigration is 'beneficial to the UK economy'.

The study said: "The basic principle for family reunion immigration should be that both the sponsors and the applicants must be self-sufficient. They cannot be reliant on public funds." Anyone wanting to sponsor an immigrant husband or wife 'must earn enough to support them'.

At present, sponsors have to demonstrate they can support their spouse and that they will not become a burden on the taxpayer. But often this rule does not work because low earners receive income support, housing benefit and countil tax benefit, and are still allowed to sponsor dependents.

The report also suggested immigrants should be highly educated and earn more than £25,000 a year before they are allowed to stay in the UK. And it called for a crackdown on 'health tourism' by demanding anyone wanting to stay here longer than six months should pass a compulsory medical examination before leaving their home country. They would have to pay for the cost of the test, which would be carried out by a doctor approved by the British Government.

Mr Kirkhope called for stricter rules n the sponsoring of partners, parents and other family members - known as 'chain migration'. Mr Kirkhope said: "The net effect (of chain migration) over a period of time for the economy is quite serious. The Government has failed to instill public confidence on the issue of immigration at a time when an enlarged EU, and the prospect of large-scale immigration, have left the country facing the real threat of massive pressures on public services."

The Tories are to examine Mr Kirkhope's p[roposals in detail before deciding whether they become party policy. Mr Davis said: "We will study the report and its recommendations carefully and consider what, if any, bearing the proposals should have on our policy formulation."

Immigation Minister Des Browne described the proposals put forward in the report as 'opportunistic'. He said: "The Conservatives say that Britain if full and that we should put a stop to all legal migration, except the rich. But there are 600,000 job vacances in the UK, and if we don't have enough workers, who is going to clean our hospitals and offices, work in our restaurants and wait on our tables?"

Webmasters comment: What about recruiting these 600,000 workers on work permits for a period of not more than five years, after which the individuals have to return to their own country, and replaced by younger recruits from abroad. These workers must not be given the option of staying on in this country and bringing in dependents.

Do you agree that we recruit the unskilled workers we need from immigrants on 5-year work permits after which they must return to their own country, to be replaced by younger recruits, without the option of staying on and/or bringing in dependents? Agree strongly Agree Disagree Disagree strongly Don't know Don't care Please click one of the links above to cast your vote Current results

 For the health of our democracy, we, the people of the United Kingdom, must find a way to force Mr Blair to resign

Mr Blair has lied and deceived us over Iraq. He must resign at once. Do you agree? Agree strongly Agree Disagree Disagree strongly Don't know Don't care Please click one of the links above to cast your vote Current results

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:

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:

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.