Why Political Parties?

January, 2010 (revised, February, 2010)

Contents List:

Struggle Ahead!
Party Myth
A Consistent Theme
A Powerful New Ally?
Missed Opportunity

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It must be obvious to every thinking loyal subject of Queen Elizabeth II that the United Kingdom is now united in name only. The disease of multiculturalism is running rampant through its arteries, and it has lost its economic strength. The national psyche has lost much of its will to work, live, and love. The UK is now little better than a basket case in the hospital called the European Union.

The chief reason for this is the sentimental social democracy which was introduced by the Labour Party in 1946 and which no other Party has since dared to combat lest it make itself unelectable for lack of votes from a people who have been schooled into a culture of dependency on the State.

Such a state of affairs is abhorrent to Nature and cannot last. Yet no political Party shows any convincing sign that it is capable of mustering the courage to adopt the stringent muscle-strengthening policies necessary to restore the nation to solvency, robust economic health, and confidence in itself and its hard-earned culture.

Party Myth

The prevailing political theory is that political parties are essential adjuncts to democracy. This might have been true in the days when political parties grew up in response to political need. My submission is that modern communications have rendered the political party not only redundant, but an actual menace.

A Consistent Theme

I have expressed this view in several ways in these pages, and advocated the institution of true democracy whereby every elector can influence the kind of politics that prevails in his or her local area and can through local representatives ensure continuing accountability all the way up the chain of government. A possible system is suggested at Cleaning the (Political) Augean Stables.

A Powerful New Ally?

The chief purpose of this essay is to hail a potentially extremely powerful new ally through which everybody with access to the Internet can discuss political proposals and vote upon them. It is, in effect, a running referendum which should eventually enable a form of true democracy, possibly even improving on the Swiss model, to be introduced in the UK.

It has (or had at the time of writing) its own Web site: POWER2010

Missed Opportunity

On closer acquaintance, I regret to report that POWER2010 is revealed as just another pressure group with its own axe to grind. Instead of providing a public service, it has produced its own political agenda. In doing so, it has missed an opportunity to conduct a running referendum on any or all of the half-baked ideas that politicians and their besotted supporters propose for implementation at the cost of the anonymous tax-payer.

Perusal of an exchange of emails between myself and the group will explain my disappointment.

Dear Duncan,
Welcome to POWER2010 — our grassroots campaign for real democratic change in the UK.
You've taken an important first step by joining us, but we still need your help to change our politics from the bottom up. For good.
Here's what you can do:
Vote
Most importantly, we need you to vote for the ideas you want in the POWER2010 Pledge. You can vote for as many issues as you like, so let us know which reforms you'd like to see.
http://www.power2010.org.uk/castyourvote
Spread the word
Our movement - and the future of our democracy - depends on grassroots support and involvement. Join us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or email a friend. Click here to spread the word about POWER2010 to your friends and family.
http://www.power2010.org.uk/spreadtheword
Watch
We've put together a few videos to show the processes behind our campaign.
POWER2010 is about the grassroots taking back control of our government. The first step outlined in this video - collecting ideas for reform - has passed, but it nicely encapsulates the character of the campaign. Click below to watch.
http://www.power2010.org.uk/grassroots

After receiving more than 4,000 submissions, we convened a two-day deliberative event to distill them down to a shortlist of reforms that could then be voted on. Watch this video to see the wide array of people who participated in this event.
http://www.power2010.org.uk/deliberations
It's time for us to change politics. Thank you for doing your part.
Best wishes,
Pam Giddy
Dear Pam

Thank you for your welcome.
> Here's what you can do:
I respectfully submit that I can do a great deal more than vote for propositions that are put up by people who are already wedded to a rotten system. I would like the opportunity to vote against many of them.
I think your overall idea is potentially magical — but only if it can be released from the strait-jacket of conventional politics.
I have been expressing maverick ideas on my Web site for twenty years now. Perhaps you would like to have a look at it. You might start with:
http://www.ardue.org.uk/world/power.html
Best wishes
Duncan
Dear Duncan,
There are different ways we could have set out the vote and none are perfect. We chose this as Power2010 is an exercise in engaging people positively around ideas to change our system. So, on this basis we decided to make it a positive vote. If you advocate for several other ideas and get people to vote on them then you'll achieve the same aim as voting negatively and you'll push off the ideas you don't want.
If you would like to write a blog post for our website to express your ideas then please let us know. Please contact my colleague a guy@power2010.org.uk
Kind regards
Ghazal
Power2010 team
Dear Duncan,
After 4,500 submissions and more than 100,000 votes, I'm pleased to announce the POWER Pledge:
1) Introduce a proportional voting system. 2) Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state. 3) Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber. 4) Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws. 5) Draw up a written constitution.
To sign the POWER Pledge you don't have to agree with all five reforms. You need only be in favour of a majority of the ideas — and a reforming Parliament that will act on them.
This is your manifesto for a better Britain — thank you so much for your help and support.
Now we need to let the politicians know we're serious — click below to sign the POWER Pledge and add your name to our call for change.
http://www.power2010.org.uk/ChangePolitics
We couldn't have come this far without your support — and we'll continue to need it — but POWER2010 is growing.
If you haven't already, you'll soon hear from one of our regional organisers. They'll be taking the POWER Pledge out to the whole country.
We're fully staffed and will be launching a huge campaign — this is your moment to change politics. For good.
http://www.power2010.org.uk/ChangePolitics
Thank you, and best wishes,
Pam Giddy Director POWER2010
Dear Pam
You have lost my support.
>After 4,500 submissions and more than 100,000 votes, I'm pleased to announce the POWER Pledge:
1) Introduce a proportional voting system.
And vote for irresponsible, unaccountable, chameleon political parties instead of individuals of trustworthy character?
2) Scrap ID cards and roll back the database state.
And enable criminals and other people of dubious integrity to take refuge in anonymity?
3) Replace the House of Lords with an elected chamber.
And get more here-today-gone-tomorrow self-serving political demagogues to replace representatives of long-established dynasties with a long-term interest in maintaining stable responsible government for the benefit of current and future generations?
4) Allow only English MPs to vote on English laws.
Do you mean "English", or representatives of English constituencies — many of whom now speak with un-English accents?
5) Draw up a written constitution.
And turn the UK into a lawyers' happy hunting ground — like the USA?
No thanks.
Duncan Macdonald
www.ardue.org.uk
Dear Duncan,
Thanks for your feedback.
regards
Ghazal
POWER2010 team