Tories outfoxed: What next?

Fri Jul 24 12:13:32 BST 2015

Replies to "Tories outfoxed: What next?" appear at 
http://ourscotland.myfreeforum.org/sutra139994.php&highlight=#139994


MM mm at iniref.org [londonsocialforum2003] wrote:
>
>         *I&R  GB logo <http://www.iniref.org/>
>
>         *
>
>         Scottish National Party,
>         Gordon Lamb House,
>         3 Jackson's Entry,
>         Edinburgh
>
>         and to whom this may concern ...
>
>         from:
>         Citizens' Initiative and Referendum I&R ~ GB
>         http://www.iniref.org/
>
>         *
>
>
>         Tories outfoxed: What next?*
>
>         Congratulations to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon !!
>
>         You and your expeditionary SNP peace-troop in London
>         have done for fox hunting in England and Wales (cartoon),
>         <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/getting-it-right/11171179/Telegraph-latest-cartoon-gallery.html?frame=3375749>
>         at least for a wee while (1).
>
>         Now let me present a more serious reform that the SNP at
>         Westminster could help to achieve.
>
>         Nicola, if I may, in the draft constitution (Independence
>         Bill) for Scotland you wrote ... "the people are sovereign"
>         (2). We argue that this is true not only in Scotland but also
>         in any modern, democratic state. So, the people of the UK are
>         "sovereign" too. Sovereign means owning and holding political
>         power in the state.  It means that all we citizens have
>         political rights. These rights must be useable, they must be
>         capable of practical expression, or the claim of sovereignty
>         remains an empty slogan. International conventions which we in
>         the UK have signed as a Union guarantee our rights to exercise
>         our power, both _indirectly,_ by electing members of
>         parliament and _directly,_ to decide on public issues
>         (commonly by means of citizen-instigated referendum).
>
>         So we can see that our democracy and public governance are
>         incomplete because the direct form of decision making by the
>         people, with rare exceptions, has been denied to us over many
>         years, by successive governments of different political
>         persuasions. We are looking at a major _deficit of democracy._
>         This deficit  should be corrected by adding elements of direct
>         democracy into our system of indirect democracy. Wisely, your
>         party the SNP has expressed support for this stronger sort of
>         democracy (3).
>
>         Now, we know that most people in Britain, voters, want more
>         say and that in opinion surveys large majorities have approved
>         the principles of citizen-led direct democracy. But, we also
>         know that most politicians oppose direct democracy and that
>         they have acted, against the will of the people,  to prevent
>         it from being  introduced.
>
>         How can we obtain better democracy against this built-in
>         resistance? We must campaign and act for legislation to
>         introduce much better democracy in the United Kingdom and its
>         countries.
>
>         Which reforms, what sorts of better democracy, do we want and
>         need? The term Modern Direct Democracy sums it up.
>
>         We need methods of DIRECT DEMOCRACY which enable the
>         electorate to:
>
>         ***put forward proposals to make or change law; proposals well
>         supported by the public must be placed before the whole
>         electorate for decision by ballot*,
>         ****
>         *block unwanted law or government policy, by holding a
>         veto-referendum*,
>         ****
>         ***recall MPs who have failed, or lost the confidence of,
>         their constituents*.
>
>         This means effective participation by people, citizens, in
>         public decision making. It does not have to mean abolishing
>         parliament or government; clearly for the foreseeable future
>         this would be unwise. With direct democracy "We The People"
>         can take on more responsibility for (local and central) public
>         matters, experience shows that we would become better informed
>         about and scrutinise what our politicians are doing. We can
>         occasionally, as an electorate, make proposals in policy or
>         law, we have the power to propose a veto of unwanted
>         government policy and if need be to force a referendum about a
>         proposal or veto. Politics becomes re-vitalised, better
>         equipped for the challenges of out time!
>
>         *Chance to win on direct democracy with a multi-party majority
>         at Westminster*
>         **In the House of Commons a proposal for the right of
>         constituent voters to recall (sack) their MP recently received
>         a large majority  Ayes 127, Noes 17, see the Hansard report
>         about this (4). After suitable lobbying by constituents and
>         education of MPs, a _Direct Democracy Bill_ could well receive
>         considerable support ;-)
>
>         *We ask and urge the Scottish National Party to support and
>         promote the proposal outlined here.**
>         ***
>         1. Cameron sounds bugle of retreat in fox-hunting vote
>         <http://www.thenational.scot/politics/cameron-sounds-bugle-of-retreat-in-fox-hunting-vote.5197>http://www.thenational.scot/politics/cameron-sounds-bugle-of-retreat-in-fox-hunting-vote.5197
>
>         2. The Scottish Independence Bill: a consultation on an
>         interim constitution for Scotland
>         ISBN: 978-1-78412-545-5 Published by the Scottish Government,
>         June 2014
>
>         3. SNP policy on direct democracy and referenda
>         <https://iniref.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/snp-policy-on-direct-democracy-and-referenda/>
>         https://iniref.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/snp-policy-on-direct-democracy-and-referenda/
>
>         4. Hansard report: Recall of Elected Representatives. Motion
>         for leave to bring in a Bill
>         <http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131204/debtext/131204-0002.htm#13120494000002>
>         http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131204/debtext/131204-0002.htm#13120494000002
>
>
>         signed
>         Wallace-Macpherson
>         Citizens' Initiative and Referendum I&R ~ GB
>         http://www.iniref.org/
>
>
> 


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