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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STEALTH
TAXES
Tax
on extensions - 'Stealth' planning fee that will hit millions
By
James Chapman - Political Correspondent - Daily Mail, January
26, 2005
Householders
and business are facing a new 'stealth tax' with Labour plans
to hike planning fees by more than 24 times the rate of inflation.
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott wants to raise an extra £70
million a year by increasing the charge for a planning application
by an average of 39%.
Inheritance
Tax 'to hit 1 in 3'
One
in three homeowners could find their estates are hit with
inheritance tax within 20 years, it is claimed.
New
estimates suggest the number of estates liable to the
tax will rise from 2.4 million today to four million by
2015 and six million by 2025.
The
claims come from the Halifax Bank, which effectively accuses
the Government of raiding the estates of the dead by refusing
to raise the threshold at which the tax applies to reflect
higher house values.
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Last
night Tories warned that everyone from homeowners wanting to build
an extension to developers seeking permission for a new shopping
complex would be hit. More and more people are turning to home
improvements to avoid the high cost - particularly in stamp duty
- of moving somewhere larger.
Two
million homeowners are estimated to have built extensions, conservatories
and garages in the past 12 months. Under the plans by the Office
of the Deputy Prime Minister, the fee for an application for an
extension will rise by 23%, from £110 to £135. The
cost of making an application to build a new house will rise from
£220 per quarter of an acre to £265.
For
commercial developers the maximum charge for large developments,
such as housing estates, will soar by 355% - from £11,000
to £50,000. The Government claims the increase will cover
councils' rising administration costs, but the Tories claim its
real purpose is to make up the fall in central government grant.
They say Labour allocated £300million to councils between
2004 and 2006 but only £255 million has been set aside for
2006 to 2008.
Tory
local government spokesman, Caroline Spelman said: "Labour
have already put up stealth taxes 66 times and are now introducing
yet another tax on business and local residents. What John Prescott
is giving councils with one hand, he is snatching away with another,
leaving firms and local residents to foot the bill."
Pierre
Williams of the House Builders' Federation said: "This is
a massive increase. We appreciate that the planning system is
underfunded, and we wouldn't mind paying a little bit more, if
it would help speed up the system. But we want value for money
and any increases in fees have got to be matched by a similar
increase in performance."
A
spokesmen for Mr Prescott's office said: "It's simply not
accurate to describe it as a tax in any shape or form. At the
moment, the amount householders and developers are paying does
not cover the cost of processing an application."
Planning
Minister Keith Hill said: "Applicants expect a quality of
service, and this can only be provided with adequate resources
to local authorities."
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.
