For a better Democracy

Electoral Systems

We support a transition to a Proportional Representation electoral system for all elections. We advocate initially for the Westminster elections the form used currently by the Welsh Senedd and Scottish Parliament. This is because it is tried and tested and the easiest to migrate from what we have now. MPs would be elected as 1st past the post with regional lists which work as a proportional top-up using the d’Hondt method.

Candidates for the constituency vote should be living in the (or neighbouring) constituency and the ones on the regional list should be living in that region. Candidates on the regional list should need to resign if they leave their party.

National aspirations and cooperation

We call for the set up of Constitutional Assemblies consisting of delegates and citizens to deliberate and decide new constitutions for the various parts of the UK.

We support the right of self-determination and so believe in the right of Scotland to have a referendum on Independence as most members of the Scottish Parliament are in favour. We also support the right of self-determination for Wales as well as England - also in Cornwall if this were to arise there. We support greater powers for the national parliaments and would support independence in any future referendums. We would support Irish reconciliation and reunification by consent and support the proposals to have a ‘Border Poll’ on the ending of partition in Ireland to facilitate further development of democracy as outlined in the !998 Belfast Agreement.

We believe in close cooperation on these islands where applicable. The British and Irish Council which includes representatives of all the parliaments including Isle of Man and the Channel Islands should be utilised as a way of cooperation and should meet on a more regular basis. It would be possible for each parliament to negotiate and decide its own relationship with the EU.

Monarchy

We believe the continuing existence of a hereditary monarch is not compatible with a modern democracy. Therefore, we believe in the transition to republics. At the very least we would advocate the removal of political power of the monarchy, the downsizing and bringing the Crown Estates under common ownership.

2nd Chamber (House of Lords) reform and transformation

The House of Lords should be scrapped and, in its place, a new second chamber (or separate 2^nd chambers for the nations of the UK) partly as a constituent assembly nominated by civic groups in society and partly (75%) as a citizens’ assembly based on sortition. The reward system should be abolished, and members would only have their places for ten years.

Regional and Devolution of Power

A great deal of administrative and financial devolution should be given to local and regional government with a system like the Barnett formula to level up and stop the concentration of power and wealth in certain regions. At present we wouldn’t expect devolvement of legislative or currency to regions.

Party Funding and Standards in Politics

There should be a limit of donations to political parties of say £500-£1000 per person and there should be no donations by organisations or corporations. All party funding should be totally transparent.

MPs should not have other jobs outside parliament except in a very few sectors and then all money received should be donated to charity. No loans should be taken out by MPs other than through normal channels such as banks or building societies. And the same regulations should apply to close family members. The expense system should be abolished and instead an allowance system based on fixed criteria put in place. Government departments’ spending should be regulated in a similar way. MPs must declare previous membership of secret societies or organisations in the last five years before election and should resign their membership during the tenure.

Ministers should have a limited tenure of ten years and should not be able to do consultation or lobbying work for at least ten years after they have stood down and should be subject to regulation on gifts and loans for this period.

A citizens’ assembly should be responsible for monitoring and regulating the ministerial code with the power to suspend and force resignation of ministers and force a by-election for MPs. The assembly should also have the power to fine ministers for not adequately answering questions put to them in parliament (where there is no good reason for refusing). Parties should be monitored for the diversity of their candidates. Citizens should be able to petition for a recall by-election of a sitting MP.

Media

The ownership of the political media in the hands of a few proprietors needs to come to an end. Instead, nobody should be able to own more than one title. Each media source should pay a section of their revenue into a common fund which would be redistributed to a wide range of titles with bonuses being paid to the most accurate and reliable according to fact-checking.

We also advocate an increase in Public Broadcasting and publishing.

Participation and Political Education

Groups of citizens as well as the 2^nd chamber should be able to create and propose legislation to be put before parliament. Most legislation should be put out for consultation and consultative online polls on proposals. There should also be a method for citizens to call a referendum on a given issue.

Children should learn about politics and economics and ways of participating in the political process. As in Wales a youth parliament should be established in each part of the UK and the voting age reduced to 16.