Rescuing Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected Dictatorship

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

USE YOUR VOTE

The promised referendum (on the EU Constitution) should take place sooner rather than later, but Mr Blair clearly won't call it until he feels he can win.

Before this constitution can be ratified, it has to get through Parliament. If the British truly feel strongly, they should write to their MP, point out that there's a General Election coming up and make sure he or she is under no illusion as to which way one will cast one's vote should he/she vote for the constitution.

by Graham Mullins, Bicester, OXON- Letter to Daily Mail - June 29, 2004

Here's a letter for every voter to send to their MOP, along the lines suggested by Mr Mullins:

Dear (your local MP) Proposed EU Constitutional Treaty Before the new EU Constituional Treaty can be ratified, it has to get through Parliament. If you want my vote in the forthcoming General Election, please confirm to me in writing that you will vote against acceptance of this Treaty. If I get no answer to this letter, I shall take it that you intend to follow the Government line and vote to ratify the proposed EU Constitution. I shall act accordingly in the forthcoming General Election. Yours faithfully, A Voter

A suitable case for the Nixon treatment?

In late July 2004, a poll told us that most Britons are convinced that Mr Blair lied over Iraq. It should have led to his resignation because most Labour MPs know it is true, yet haven't the guts to oust him as leader of their party. The Daily Mail comments: "Questions about No. 10's relationship with the truth grow murkier by the day".

In late August, 2004, the Mail's Editor commented: "Not since 1848, when Lord Palmerston was arraigned on charges of concluding a secret treaty with Russia, has any British Minister been impeached. Now that awesome procedure, rooted deep in our constitutional history, is being employed against Tony Blair for his 'high crimes and misdemeanours' over Iraq.

"Of course it won't work. .... Labour backbenchers would never allow it. But Mr Blair won't find it so easy to shrug off the devastating details in the indictment prepared by serious academic researchers to support the case for impeachment.

"Forget the Hutton whitewash and the timid conclusions of the Butler inquiry. A Case to Answer, published yesterday, is packed with evidence of the systematic deceit practised on Parliament and public by a Prime Minister hell-bent on war. Using a mass of background information, including intelligence documents published by Lord Butler, Glen Rangwala of Cambridge and Dan Plesch of Birkbeck College show beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Blair never came close to telling the truth.

"Again and again he insisted that Saddam's weapons of mass destruction were a real and worsening threat, citing intelligence information to back his apocalyptic claims. 'This is what they are telling me, the British Prime Minister ...... '

"Yet at every turn, as the documents starkly illustrate, he distorted that information to promote a war which 'strong evidence' suggests he had already decided to launch in cahoots with George Bush - a war that has cost thousands of lives, including those of 65 British soldiers.

"And still we are paying the price. The violence in and around Najaf yesterday reveals a nation on the edge of anarchy. The sabotage of 20 oil pipelines in the south threatens a new surge in fuel prices. The longer coalition forces stay, the more they are hated. Yet if they leave, the region will plunge into chaos.

"And from Mr Blair? Not a word of apology. He is safe. Untouchable. However powerful the evidence of his duplicity, impeachment will never happen. In its appalling inability to hold the Prime Minister properly to account, our impotent Parliament has become another victim of this misbegotten war."

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 with answers to these questions 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.

Another powerful strategy for using your vote effectively in the General Electionexpected in 2005 is to 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 or the Party Manifesto and act accordingly in the forthcoming General Election.

Or create a questionnaire to send to all candidates in your constituency, asking for yes/no answers to questions of your choice, and ending it with the 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.