Reform UK Politics now – a personal manifesto

Like many fellow-citizens right now, May 2009, I am very angry about the state of British politics.

The expenses scandal is the symptom not the disease. Therefore - I see the current furore as the greatest opportunity in the last half-century - to get a modern political system in the UK.

The first draft of my non-party, or trans-party, political manifesto, is below. The first item Fair Voting is the most important:

ESTABLISH FAIR VOTING – take the best from all countries that operate fair voting systems.

MAKE VOTING COMPULSORY – it will reduce wasteful and dispiriting carping - when combined with fair voting so that every vote counts. Currently we are ruled by MPs who represent only 25% of the people.

Get rid of TRIBAL POLITICS - get out of the strait-jacket of the tired Tory & Labour ideologies – Cameron and his lot are no real alternative to the Blair-Brown lot.

CENTRE ON ISSUES BEFORE IDEOLOGIES – MPs need to learn to group around the country's needs and the electorate's concerns - i.e focus on real issues rather than tribal loyalties.

ENABLE MORE INDEPENDENT MPs – more than a third should produce positive results.

ACCELERATE FAIR REPRESENTATION - of women and minorities.

DEMAND FACTS BEFORE OPINIONS – the public as well as MPs need to get the best quality, accurate info from independent sources. Stop all the spinning bull-shit.

COOPERATE MORE - more cooperation than wasteful combat for combat's sake.

MAKE MPS REWARDS FAIR - combined with serious and continuous accountability.

INSTITUTE PRIMARIES – but only after a close examination of their benefits in other countries?

FOCUS ON SOCIAL JUSTICE AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL STAKE-HOLDERS - i.e stick to social justice and quality of life as pre-eminent virtues.

REDUCE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – create best-practice, county-level, broad policies e.g. 'You are statutorily required to provide a holistic set of services for youth in your area.' Then keep central government out - other than to check that every county is implementing effectively a range of best practice via effective accountability.

MAXIMISE FREE VOTING and SECRET BALLOT VOTING IN PARLIAMENT – as in election of new Speaker - whipping distorts.

HABITUALLY IMPORT BEST PRACTICE FOR GOVERNMENT AS WELL AS PARLIAMENT - from Denmark, Scandinavia, Canada, Australia, Germany etc.

CREATE A SIMPLE WRITTEN CONSTITUTION WITHIN 1 YEAR – Confine it to three sides of A4 - Invite everyone to write a version. Then take 10 years to refine it. Curb the lawyers.

ELIMINATE WASTE – everywhere, at all levels.

CONTINUE BEEFING UP TRANSPARENCY IN ACCOUNTABILITY – we want MPs to be transparently accountable for everything they do, not just their expenses.

EDUCATE THE PEOPLE IN POLITICAL PARTICIPATION - all ages - use all media - use carrots and sticks.

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