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A Radical New Political Idea


The two party system is dead and yet the main parties, while paying lip service to the idea of electoral reform are in a position to carve up the electoral map between them so that the unrepresentative forst past the post system is perpetuated and 75% of British effectively are disenfranchised. Does this radical new idea offer some hope?

A Radical New Political Idea.
by Ian R. Thorpe
May 2009 CREATIVE COMMONS: distribute, non - coomercial, no derivs KEYWORDS: politics,labour,conservative,liberal,democrat,independent,election,vote,consituency

20 May 2009

A Radical New Political Idea
What started out as a fairly straightforward story, the Bag O' Shite scandal concerning an MP who thought he could by a bag o' shite (well seeral bags o' shite actually, on his parliamentary expenses has exploded over the past two weeks into the collapse of the british parliamentary system. Democracy itself is beginning to look a tad threatened.

The Daily Stirrer (formerly Little Niky Machiavelli) has been saying for years the party political system threatened to smother democracy. Unlike the American susten which started with a clean slate 225 years ago, the British system had evolved from pre-christian times. Even so the system served us well so long as people were prepared to behave honourably and observe the spirit of the law rather than its letter.

The constiution was based on elected representatives prioritising their loyalties on the basis of first nation, second constituents, other considerations not even part of the equation. There was self interest of course, human nature is universal and eternal. People did a favour and received a favour in return but people who abused that were expelled from parliameny. Everything started to go sour when the party system took hold. Partly it seems to have come about because MPs were granted salaries but MPs were only granted salaries because the working class and lower middle class who did not have private income were effectively excluded unless sponsored by an organisation such as a union or co-operative movement or could find a wealthy patron.

Obviously the person or organisation sponsoring the MP had a great deal of influence. This was seen to be unhealthy and the idea of paying MPs a salary was adopted. Good idea?

Bad idea. The freeingof MPs from the influence of a local factory owner or landlord or from the trade union of his constituencie's main industry opened them to pressure from the party organisations. Voting with conscience rather than on the party line could result in deselection. The party could withdraw support and the MP had little chance of survival especially in Labour constituencies where class war tactics could be deployed.

Gradually party loyalty was placed above all other considerations. Members of Parliament, instead of being people of experience and wisdom ideally qualified to represent their constituents became meritocrats. Politics was no longer a matter of public service it was a career option. Successful politicians could get rich so long as they stayed on message.

To clear up the mess and neutralise the rotten smell coming out of Westminster we need to smash the part system. But who can do it. The Liberal Democrats though not as tainted as the main parties have been sucked into the cesspit. The Greens are too wooly, UKIP too crazy. BNP, no thanks.

What would be ideal is a loose afilliation of independent candidates, pledge to help each other, share resources etc. but not bound by an ideology or subservient to a central organisation. Independent candidates committed to the idea of public service and of serving the best interests of voters in their constituencies. If only.....

Dream no more, such a movement does exist. Find out more about Jury Team on their official website.

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