Introduction:

Until polls close at the next UK General Election I will be adding my penny-worth of effort to demanding that reform takes place in the UK political system.  This is a non-party-political approach – I am 20% Green, 20% Independent, 20% Labour, 20% Liberal, 20% Tory!

1) Currently I collect interesting materials to argue the 26 steps of the program via – HERE – as resource service for those interested.

2) These then appear on my niche ‘reform’ site HERE – as a resource service – with or without writing from me.

3) This WordPress site was my first blog and is a metasite in which I bring together my niche sites.

4) My own articles re ‘Reform UK Politics Now’ are being brought together here under my 26Step Manifesto ‘Wheel’.  The versions here should be the most recent.  The metaphor of a wheel is used – 25 reforms being ’spokes’, reform number 26 being the hub of Fair Voting (Proportional Representation) without which none of the others will show their real value.

The 26 Step manifesto to ‘Reform UK Politics Now’ – to give England/the UK a modern, responsive, political system.

Combined with the FPTP system ‘Tribal politics’  –
a decade of Labour followed by a decade of the Tories followed by a decade of Labour etc. –
is the greatest curse we have.
I am gradually building up sub-sections for each of the 26 steps – I will ocate people who write positively on these issueas and in some cases add my views.
So, my argument/manifesto says we should;

1 Establish ‘fair voting’ (Proportional Representation)
Fair Voting is the  ‘hub’ to the wheel of all other reforms – it will make the other reforms establish their true worth.
The ‘Make Your Vote Count‘ organization has identified 10 of the myths that are put about (by those who have a vested interest in keeping the FPTP system)
Myth 1 Small parties rule the roost under PR
Myth 2 First Past the Post is tried and tested
Myth 3 PR is incomprehensible
Myth 4 PR doesn’t let you kick out an unpopular government
Myth 5 First Past the Post is best for representing a constituency
Myth 6 PR does nothing for turnout
Myth 7 PR creates weak coalitions
Myth 8 PR lets in extremist parties
Myth 9 The STV form of PR is bad for party cohesion and therefore government
Myth 10 PR caused the problems in the 2007 Scottish elections
BNP problem – simply expose them or outlaw them
2 Massively reduce ‘tribal politics’
tribal politics perpetuate class system -
perpetuate ritualized negativity – I know who I am because I know who I hate
outdated philosophy – keeps us in past, prevented us getting into the 21stC
3 Centre on issues before ideologies
4 Enable more independents
5 Accelerate fair representation
nothing less than 51% women is just
other minorities must be represented
6 Demand ‘facts before opinions’
What’s the evidence – ask more questions
7 Cooperate more
out of the clash of differing opinions comes the spark of truth – yes but act more in cooperative ways
select committees best example currently (?) – strengthen them and their findings
8 Make MPs rewards fair
9 Connect local, regional and national election processes
10 Focus on social justice and quality of life for all stake-holders
11 Reduce central government
12 Maximise free voting in parliament
13 Maximise secret ballots in all appropriate concerns
14 Habitually import best practice
15 Create a simple written constitution within 1 year
16 Eliminate waste
17 Continue beefing up transparency in accountability
18 Sack or punish seriously ‘deviant’ MPs
19 Make voting compulsory
20 Reform political funding
22 Improve the independence and the accountability and efficiency of the civil service
23 Support MPs appropriately
24 Police more thoroughly the funding of politics
transparency
prefer set amount from Treasury – 50p for each of average votes cast over preceding 10 years
all donations
25 Reform the House of Lords
100 Senators (?)
don’t want a mirror of the commons, want the best possible spread of the wise and experienced from all walks of life
26 Encourage positive interest in, & involvement in, political process
make voting compulsory
education programmes for children in every school
adult education via all media
.
NB In continuous development
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