A new UK political system designed by the people, for the people

mojoe

Our political system is broken and despite their promises, successive governments have proven themselves both unwilling and unable to provide the reform we need. Our government is driving a counter productive program of austerity against our young people, the poor, disabled and those who are least able to defend themselves, while handing out tax breaks to the rich and multi national corporations. In 2014, an estimated £122billion in tax revenue went unpaid due to tax avoidance, evasion and simple non payment, while our public secret services are being annihilated.

In response, a number of people who are concerned about how our political system neither serves nor meets the needs of the vast majority of people, are setting up a group. The purpose of the group is to provide a forum where those who share these concerns can come together to desicuss, debate, design and build a better, fairer and more democratic political system that will work for everyone.

Meetings will happen online and it is hoped that the first meeting will take place during the last week in July. Any UK resident who wants to be a part of building something better can join the group by sending an email to redesigndemocracy@yahoo.co.uk to be added to the list of invitees.

rochja

You dont know what a broken political system and austerity are: go and live in Greece for a while then come back and tell us about 30% unemployment, the real definition of poverty etc. In fact I am beginning to wander if just like in biochemistry free radicals are harmful to the organism

mojoe

It is very presumptuous of you to assume what I do or do not know.

I disagree that the political system in Greece is broken and would go further by saying it was working better than any other in the EU when their prime minister called a referendum last Sunday, that is real democracy at work, citizens making the decisions.

But this group is nothing to do with the situation in Greece. While it may be that our governments program of austerity is less severe than the one being imposed on the people of Greece, it is still austerity none the less. 13.7million people living in poverty and 4million of those are children. A majority government that was elected by just 24.7% of the electorate. An estimated £122billion in unpaid taxes in 2014. A political system and politicians that are despised by the majority of it's citizens. One third of the electorate feeling so uninspired and unrepresented that they don't even bother to vote.

None of these facts say to us that we are living in a democracy and we should not/cannot have something better that works for everyone.

antrobus

mojoe wrote: »

....I disagree that the political system in Greece is broken and would go further by saying it was working better than any other in the EU when their prime minister called a referendum last Sunday, that is real democracy at work, citizens making the decisions....

The Greek PM called a referendum, the people said no to the deal offered by the EZ, and so the Greek PM duly signed up to the deal offered by the EZ. If you think that is "real democracy at work" you must be crazier than a box of frogs.:)

[Deleted User]

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mojoe

If you read what I have actually written, the "real democracy" comment was their PM giving the Greek people a referendum. I made no reference whatsoever to what happened afterwards.

Thank you for reminding me one of the fundamental reasons I am setting up this group is petty people like yourselves who pick holes and moan about what other people are trying to do for the benefit of others. If you don't agree with what I am trying to do, either come along to the group and let's have a debate, or do nothing. Leave the grown up stuff to grown ups.

rochja

Petty? Moi? I am not the one throwing his rattle out of the pram. Do grown up do that by the way?

WestonDave

Austerity (as in living on limited resources) is a necessity because we have borrowed against and spent tomorrow's income to a massive extent. Greece shows what happens when you can no longer prop up spending with yet more borrowing.


Campaigning against austerity in the long term is a bit like Canute trying to hold back the tide. We no longer have any real prospects for significant economic growth and even now we are still spending more than we earn (both as households and as a nation) so at some point when the borrowed cash tap gets turned off we will all have to live on less than we are currently used to.


Having accepted austerity it is entirely possible and potentially right to campaign for a fairer distribution of the reduced "pot" that is available but campaigning for an indefinite and infinite improvement in living standards is just daft.

Drunk_Monkey

If it was the case that the our political system "neither serves nor meets the needs of the vast majority of people", then there'd be no need to setup any group.

The mantra that our political system is "broken" (and presumably needs "fixing") strikes me as mere trite and derivative babble of a demagogic politician.

[Deleted User]

How do we define a 'better' political system? One that gives everyone 'the same voice', one that makes the country wealthier, one that makes the 'average' person wealthier? One that stops poverty?

The needs of the 'vast majority' may not tie in well with having a strong economy. Allowing everyone to have a 'democratic say' in everything can lead to a lack of direction and mediocre decision making.

antrobus

mojoe wrote: »

If you read what I have actually written, the "real democracy" comment was their PM giving the Greek people a referendum. I made no reference whatsoever to what happened afterwards....

Your making "no reference whatsoever to what happened afterwards", doesn't change the fact that holding a referendum, then ignoring the result, is both pointless and undemocratic.

Not mentioning a fact doesn't make an argument any stronger.

mojoe wrote: »

...Thank you for reminding me one of the fundamental reasons I am setting up this group is petty people like yourselves who pick holes and moan about what other people are trying to do for the benefit of others...

Oh right, so you don't like inconvenient things like 'facts' , and you can't be criticised because you are selflessly only acting or the benefit of others.

That's good to know.

mojoe wrote: »

.... If you don't agree with what I am trying to do, either come along to the group and let's have a debate, or do nothing. ...

Your 'group' is not the only game in town you know.

mojoe wrote: »

..Leave the grown up stuff to grown ups.

Yehsss.