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HOW TO REGULATE AND
ORGANISE A STATE REFERENDUM
SINCE MAGNA CARTA 1215
SLOW PROGRESS
LEIPZIG: CITIZENS' PLEBISCITE
STOPS SELL-OFF
SHROPSHIRE CITIZENS'
PARISH POLL TO PROTECT TOWN PARK
EXPERT CALLS FOR EXTENDED DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS
(link to another page)
TAX AND LOCALISM AND CITIZENS'
DEMOCRACY: RESPONSE TO TIMES ARTICLE
PARISH POLL VOTERS FAVOUR
RE-OPENING CEMETERY GATE
REFERENDUM-DEMAND "FOR A HEALTHY
CLIMATE"
HOW TO OBTAIN A REFERENDUM EVEN
IF THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS NO!
DARLINGTON MAYOR BALLOT RAISES
QUESTIONS ABOUT DEMOCRACY
PARISH POLL RULES (ENGLAND AND WALES)
NEED REVISION
CITIZENS' DIRECT DEMOCRACY DEBATED IN "OURKINGDOM"
SWISS DEMOCRACY BY PAUL CARLINE
DEMOCRATIC PERSPECTIVE
UPON GORDON BROWN'S CONSTITUTION SPEECH
TO THE COMMONS, JULY 2007
(link to another page)
LETTER TO "THE TIMES"
Does power to the people mean
democracy or direct participation?
CITIZENS
DEMAND REFERENDUM ON EUROPEAN TREATY: DOWNING STREET
ADRIAN ROMILLY CALLS FOR OUR RIGHT TO FACULTATIVE (VETO) REFERENDUM
ON "SOVEREIGNTY" OF PARLIAMENTS AND CITIZEN LAW-MAKING
(link to another page)
CITIZENS' DIRECT DEMOCRACY AT WORK
CZECH
GOVERNING GREENS DRAFT REFERENDUM BILL (LINK)
QVORTRUP SPEAKS UP FOR DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN BRITAIN
WEAK DEMOCRACY: PETITION DOWNING STREET
LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS: CHANCE FOR DD CAMPAIGN
SAVE BERLIN'S CITY AIRPORT
ROUTINE SWISS DEMOCRACY
GM CROPS VIA THE BACK DOOR?
LOCALISM OR CITIZENS' DEMOCRACY?
DIRECT DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUTION
ROWNTREE'S POWER INQUIRY
LINK TO MORE NEWS
HOW TO REGULATE AND ORGANISE A STATE
REFERENDUM
Hungary
A referendum held in early March 2008 has been widely reported. I&R
~ GB reviews the regulations for Citizens' Direct Democracy in a
country of the European Union.
From the Constitution of Hungary
Chapter I General Provisions
Article 2 [Democracy, Rule of Law, Sovereignty]
(1) The Republic of Hungary is an independent, democratic
constitutional state.
(2) In the Republic of Hungary supreme power is vested in the people,
who exercise their sovereign rights directly and through elected
representatives.
---------------------------------------------------
The Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
National Level
The "instruments" for direct democracy are Paragraph 28 of the
Constitution and the Third Law of 1998 on national referendums and
initiatives. Everyone who is eligible to vote in the national elections
can participate in referendums and initiatives.
According to the constitution, a referendum can be either consultative
or binding.
There are cases in which a referendum is obligatory; otherwise
Parliament can choose whether or not to hold one.
If 200,000 eligible voters initiate it a referendum MUST be held; if
the referendum is successfully carried out and the quorum reached then
the outcome is binding on Parliament.
If the referendum is initiated by 100,000 voters, by the president of
the republic, the government, or one third of the Members of
Parliament, then Parliament has the right to decide whether or not to
hold a referendum.
Before the collection of signatures can begin, a copy of the signature
forms must be presented to the National Election Committee (NEC) for
verification. The NEC can deny verification only if the question is not
in the jurisdiction of Parliament, if it is not eligible for a national
referendum, and/or if the formulation of the question and/or the form
for collecting signatures does not comply with the law. The initiative
can be presented to the chairman of the NEC within 4 months after
verification.
An obligatory referendum is automatically binding. Also binding is a
referendum on a law adopted by parliament but not yet signed by the
president of the republic. A referendum initiated by the president, the
government or one third of the members of parliament can be either
consultative or binding, depending on the decision of the parliament. A
binding referendum is successful if more than 50% of the valid votes
cast are in favor and if these represent more than 25% of the
electorate.
Referendum March 2008.
Over two hundred thousand endorsements for the referendum proposal had
been collected so the government was obliged to organise a referendum.
The referendum addressed three topics
-- Fees paid for visiting a medical practice, 82.5
-- Fee demanded for an inpatient stay in hospital, 84.1
-- Fee (planned for Autumn 2008) demanded from students for attending
university or college, 82.3
The electors were called to veto these items of government policy.
The figures shown are the percentage results after 99 percent of votes
had been counted.
Some commentators have criticised the referendum topics as trivial but
this Initiative may be seen as part of a decade-long campaign to oppose
privatisation and commercialisation of health and educational services.
Acknowledgements to IRI-Europe; Der Standard (Austria); net-tribune.de
SINCE MAGNA CARTA 1215 SLOW PROGRESS
I&Rgb replies to Guardian leader and government minister Jack Straw
MP, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.
Magna Carta may have provided us with vestigial
democracy but we must confront the reality that, in the countries of
UK, in comparison with some other countries, we have not progressed
much over 800 years. Over centuries the people struggled to achieve
voting rights but only in the early 20th century did women get the vote
and a few decades before that male workers could not vote either. We
have achieved small advances, that the elected parliament is seen as
the highest legislative body and that the electorate once every five or
so years may vote for politicians. On the down side, the politicians'
agenda follows a mandate which is at best vague, some would call it
deceptive, and black sheep may not even be recalled between elections.
Leaving the task of drafting a constitution of state
to politicians and jurists such as Jack Straw is like appointing the
fox to write the farm rules for the geese. Constitution is what
constitutes We The People and to be valid and effective it must come
from the people and be modifiable by them. The principle that state
constitutions must emerge from a process of the widest public debate
followed by referendum is accepted across the world. A "plebiscite"
imposed by a ruling elite is *not* meant. The Citizens' Convention Bill
introduced at Westminster by Charter88 (aka Unlock Democracy) is worthy
of consideration here. Admittedly a constitution of state is complex
and multi-facetted. Different sections could be put forward for public
debate and then voted upon successively.
From the above it follows that a culture of
democracy and preferably well-tried instruments for its application
should be available before a constitution-forming process is initiated.
At the latest, our democracy should be improved in parallel with the
beginning debate about rights and constitution. The reforms, opposed by
the vast majority of politicians, should include: Citizens'
law-proposal (covers constitution and change to constitution), "ballot
issues"; Electorate-triggered referendum; Obligatory referendum on
important treaties and changes to constitution; Facultative (optional)
referendum, initiable by an agreed number of voters, effectively a veto
of unwanted government law or policy.
Author: Michael
Macpherson I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum Campaign
for direct democracy in Britain http://www.iniref.org/ Posted at
Guardian web site in reply to leading article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/feb/14/constitution.jackstraw
LEIPZIG: CITIZENS' PLEBISCITE STOPS SELL-OFF
Posted to Usenet groups
uk.politics.constitution, uk.politics.misc, scot.politics,
uk.politics.parliament, uk.environment, alt.politics.british,
alt.politics.media
In contrast to the way things are in the countries of the United
Kingdom, in post-WW2 Germany the citizens of cities and regions (states
of the federation) have effective tools of participation in politics
beyond voting for candidates every few years.
A recent case is Leipzig. The city government had begun to sell off
publicly owned services such as electricity supply and had worked out a
deal with a large company. A citizens' initiative put forward a
proposal to block the sale (and similar sales) for at least three
years. After success of the "initiative", requiring some thousands of
endorsements, a referendum was compulsory. This was held in January
2008 and with an overwhelming majority and respectable turnout "the
motion was carried".
Now the city council will be forced to prepare a new plan for the city
finances.
More information:
Leipziger gegen Verkauf ihrer Stadtwerke an Gaz de France
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i6_9iPoxkPTszeO7yK4UUIhrHNzA
Leipziger Haushaltsplan muss nach Bürgerentscheid
überarbeitet werden http://leipzig-seiten.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1736&Itemid=42
I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
Campaign for direct democracy in Britain
http://www.iniref.org/
SHROPSHIRE CITIZENS' PARISH POLL TO PROTECT TOWN PARK
Here's an example of the succesful use of the Parish Poll procedure.
Citizens of Hollinswood and Randlay Parish
called on the district council to hold a poll (referendum) about
Telford's 'Jewel in the
Crown' Town Park. The district council, Telford and Wrekin Council, was
then obliged to hold a poll in the parish.
Telford and Wrekin Council has announced the
outcome of the parish poll.
The poll asked people to
vote as to whether they agreed with the following statement: "We agree
that Telford Town park's boundaries should be restored and kept as they
were when the Commission for the New Towns handed the park to Wrekin
District Council in 1991 as free open space for public use, and that
there is no development upon it."
A total of 222 voters took
part in yesterday's poll, with 214 voting yes and 7 voting no. One
ballot was void. The turnout for the poll was 5.19%.
It is
claimed that the low turnout was as a result of there being no
promotion of the poll by the parish and because of the limited amount
of time available for the actual voting to take place.
The rules for Parish Polls are to be found in the Local Government Act
1972. The Council is not obliged to comply with the result of the poll.
For more detail see the blog item PARISH POLL RULES (ENGLAND AND WALES)
NEED REVISION below
December 2007
Source:
http://shropshirenews.blogspot.com/2007/12/campaigner-vindicated-electorate-calls.html
TAX AND LOCALISM AND CITIZENS' DEMOCRACY: RESPONSE TO TIMES ARTICLE
Reply to P Riddell*. From The Times, November 14, 2007 "Tories pick the
right issue but wrong answer"
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/peter_riddell/article2865819.ece
I&Rgb replies:
We should extend the scope of "citizens' initiative and referendum".
This would allow a large number of electors (varying with size of
political unit) to put forward a proposal to introduce, change or veto
a law or public policy. If council or government rejects the proposal,
then a referendum of the whole electorate may be enforced. Genuine
direct democracy, an electorate can select and decide upon public
issues
in addition to electing politicians.
The scope of citizens' initiatives corresponds, or should do, with the
remit of council, parliament or government. So, where the power of
local
councils includes taxation then the local electorate should be able to
intervene by proposing a referendum.
How powers are distributed between state (centre) and smaller political
units is a matter of public constitution. There is broad international
acceptance that matters of constitution, whether its creation or
amendment, should be subject to referendum. Recent proposals for more
localism (devolution of powers to local government) involve change in
constitution.
For the UK and its countries, our provisional recommendation is to
introduce the optional referendum (in Switzerland "facultative") for
matters of constitution.
Published in Usenet 14th November 2007: uk.politics.constitution,
uk.politics.misc, scot.politics
*** See related below LOCALISM OR
CITIZENS' DEMOCRACY? -- a reply to Gordon Brown ***
Further information
http://www.iniref.org/
p.s. The Times declined to publish the above comment by I&Rgb.
*EXCERPT from P Riddell's article
"David Cameron has missed an opportunity with his new proposals on
council tax. He talks the language of localism, but is reluctant to
concede its substance. .......
"He rejected capping of council tax increases by Whitehall as “an
old-fashioned idea straight out of the bureaucratic age”. Capping would
be scrapped. Instead, councils that want to introduce high council tax
rises, apparently those above the inflation rate, would have to submit
their plans“ to a local referendum. Councils would explain why they
want to raise their taxes by so much and show what they would do if
their plans were rejected. Such ballots would be sent out with annual
council tax bills and if rises were rejected there would be a rebate."
PARISH POLL VOTERS FAVOUR RE-OPENING CEMETERY GATE
November 14th 2007
Citizens of Sleaford, Lincolnshire apparently used the 1972 Local
Government Act rules to demand that the Sleaford Town Council should
hold a referendum. This is quite easy to do -- at a Parish Meeting only
ten people, or a third of those present, can demand a "parish poll". A
large majority voted for the citizens' proposal, against the Council.
However, according to the Act, the result is not binding so that the
Council is entitled to ignore it. (See item below "Parish poll rules
(England and Wales) need revision").
PRESS
REPORT
REFERENDUM-DEMAND "FOR A HEALTHY CLIMATE"
November 7th 2007
The Referendum-Demand (Volksinitiative) for a "Healthy Climate",
according to the proposing group, has succeeded. The Association
"Klima-Initiative" announced this Tuesday that 120,000 endorsements
have been collected within five months .... Neue Zuercher Zeitung
http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/medien/klima-initiative_zu_stande_gekommen__1.580462.html
HOW TO OBTAIN A REFERENDUM EVEN IF THE PRIME MINISTER SAYS NO!
Copy of letter to single issue pressure groups, lobbyists and
pro-referendum (single issue) campaigners such as:
Democracy Movement
72 Hammersmith Road
London W14 8TH
Promises, promises. When will we have democracy?
We were promised a referendum
- on the electoral system for the House of Commons,
- on whether to join the European currency system and abolish the pound
sterling,
- on a proposed constitution for the European Union
but not one of these ballots has been held.
We urge campaigners to think beyond the single issue currently on the
agenda, at present the European "constitution".
For how many decades more should we continue to accept that a prime
minister and government can toy with the electorate's clear will
to
decide a particular issue by plebiscite?
We should urgently campaign for the procedures of citizens'
referendum-demand to be introduced.
If a large agreed number -- say one or two million -- voters sign a
proposal, then parliament must debate it. If the MPs turn it down, then
a referendum must be held.
Regards,
---------------------------------------------
I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
Campaign for direct democracy in Britain
http://www.iniref.org/indexxx.html
DARLINGTON MAYOR BALLOT RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT DEMOCRACY
The Northern Echo wrote:
Democracy under spotlight as referendum count ends
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/display.var.1723559.0.0.php
Extract:
Spurred into action through dissatisfaction at the way the Labour-run
Darlington Borough Council had handled the Pedestrian Heart Scheme,
Hurworth School and Tesco's town centre plans, the Yes campaign had
gathered nearly 4,000 signatures to trigger the referendum.
And last night, Labour cabinet member Nick Wallis said lessons had been
learned from the poll.
He said: "I don't think status quo was on offer, the question is how we
move forward, how we listen better and how we engage with residents.
Change has started because, after knocking on doors for the May
elections, we saw the need for that."
COMMENT 4:05am Saturday 29th September 2007
Posted by: I&Rgb, Guildford on 10:11am today
Ways to improve voter satisfaction with government include providing
better ways for people to participate on those issues which are
important to them. The government decided that we are allowed to decide
by referendum about form of local council and whether to have a "boss
mayor". We can do better than that. Why limit our democratic rights to
only one topic? With the "initiative" (proposal) a large number of
voters can put forward a proposal on any issue in the council's area of
responsibility. For the mayor question this needs five percent of
eligible voters. The proposal can then be debated by the council and if
rejected it goes to referendum. More about this "citizens' democracy"
is
at http://www.iniref.org/
I&R ~ GB
Posted to Usenet newsgroups: uk.politics.constitution,
uk.politics.parliament, uk.environment, alt.politics.british,
alt.politics.media, uk.politics.misc, scot.politics
PARISH POLL RULES (ENGLAND AND WALES) NEED REVISION
A loophole, really an error, in local government law allows a very
small number of citizens of a parish to force a district council to
hold a referendum. Clearly, our right to protest against government
policy is important and the initiative shown by the activists in this
case is praiseworthy. (See article about East Stoke cited below).
However, the democratic instrument ("parish poll") regulated in the Act
of 1972 is defective and the regulations should be revised, preferably
as part of a reform which entrenches our democratic rights of
citizen-initiated referendum at all levels of governance.
For instance, only a substantial number of electors, not a handful,
should be needed in order to trigger a referendum. A sliding scale,
currently used in The Netherlands, offers a guide to proportion
of
"signatures" needed, depending on size of the political unit (village,
town, city etc.).
More detail about "citizens' democracy" is at
I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
http://www.iniref.org/
Regards
Michael Macpherson
---------------------------
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2492732.ece
An EU referendum will take place today, but only in
the tiny
parish of East Stoke, Dorset.
The village, population 339, will have its say thanks to a little
used clause
in the Local Government Act 1972 which permits a parish poll on any
subject
if at least ten people are in favour. Residents of East Stoke in the
Isle of
Purbeck put the matter to a show of hands at a parish meeting last
month.
The mini-referendum was arranged by the UK Independence Party, which
is
campaigning for similar local votes elsewhere. Today’s vote is not on
the
reform treaty itself, but on whether there should be a national
referendum.
Darren Patterson, a local activist, said: “We are hoping for a good
turnout
and hope about 100 people will vote.” However, Barry Quinn, a
Conservative
Purbeck district councillor, said that it was a waste of money that
would be
better spent on refurbishing the war memorial.
After East Stoke, the 865 residents of Lanteglos, near Fowey, in
Cornwall will
stage a parish poll on the same subject.
More about
Parish Polls and Local Government Act 1972
CITIZENS'
DIRECT DEMOCRACY DEBATED IN "OURKINGDOM"Extract:
Gareth, from experience of partial direct democracy elsewhere we
would
expect most government business and parliamentary legislation to be
done as before.
We would not advise introducing the obligatory referendum (e.g. for
constitution change and international treaties) unless the electorate
wants this instrument. With citizens’ initiative (proposal) and the
optional veto referendum the electorate could choose when and on which
issues to intervene.
Complex issues can be handled by “ordinary” citizens. This has been
proved in studies of deliberative polling and citizens’ juries. And how
much do you think the average MP can grasp about the biology of stem
cell science? Surely ethical decisions should not be left only to the
specialised scientists. Not long ago an initiative about
gene-manipulated animals and plants went to referendum (Switzerland).
The “I and R” process is rather long - many months to years - so it
cannot be applied to emergencies. Going to war? Well, at least
principles could be set. (Emergency law can be retrospectively
considered by I and R).
Comment by Michael Macpherson — 11 July 07
SWISS
DEMOCRACY BY PAUL CARLINE
Federal): 1) amendment to military law (optional referendum);
2) federal law on civil defence (optional referendum); 3) 'Fair
rents for tenants' (citizens' initiative); 4) 'One car-free
Sunday per quarter' (citizens' initiative); ... more
LETTER TO "THE TIMES"
Does power to the people mean democracy or direct participation?
Peter Riddell: Political Briefing
July 5, 2007
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/peter_riddell/article2028757.ece
Riddell wrote "There is little dispute now that voters have a right to
be involved
between
elections, rather than just every four or five years at the ballot box."
------------------------------
I&R ~ GB replies
It is good to hear this but many of P. Riddell's concerns about
democracy reform which increases public participation are ungrounded.
Gordon Brown's suggestions in this context are over-cautious.
Riddell fears that introducing the right to propose legislation will
empower "vocal" groups. Well, yes, but it would also create the
conditions for any person or group who has a serious suggestion or
proposal to seek support for the idea and put it to the rest of us
(maybe via parliament or council) for decision. Experience shows that
not only the "usual suspects" such as opposition parties and
trade
unions will propose policy etc. but also that ad hoc and small lobby
groups can succeed.
A report about "57 varieties" of political participation for the Power
Inquiry selected three for special praise: The citizens' deliberative
assembly (as for British Columbia's constitution); Citizens' juries on
public policy; Real direct democracy such as citizens' initiative and
citizen-triggered referendum.
More about the latter may be found at the web site
http://www.iniref.org/
and an account of how the procedures work in
five nearby countries may be found in Journal of the Association for
Accountancy & Business Affairs
http://visar.csustan.edu/aaba/aabajourVol5-No1.html
CITIZENS
DEMAND REFERENDUM ON EUROPEAN TREATY: DOWNING STREET
The appeal reads: We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to guarantee that the
British people will be permitted a binding referendum on any and all attempts to resurrect the EU "constitution" (and any or all of its content) regardless of nomenclature.
In order to show your support for this demand for "binding referendum" CLICK
ADRIAN ROMILLY CALLS FOR OUR RIGHT TO FACULTATIVE (VETO) REFERENDUM
In reply to: Ruth Lea, Referendum on EU Constitutional
Treaty, Telegraph, Sat June 30th 2007
Sir,
as matters stand, whether or not a referendum is held on the
new EU Constitution is in the hands of the Primed Minister. This
is not a satisfactory state of affairs in a democracy; we
the electorate should not need to beseech the Prime Minister
to grant us a referendum on this, or any other treaty. The right
for electors to petition for a veto referendum on a treaty, subject to
a threshold of, say, 500,000 petitioners in favour of calling the
referendum, should be written into our constitution. Mr
Brown, has said he wants to introduce constitutional reforms; he would
make a good start by introducing a right to petition for a veto
referendum. This would certainly make the politicians listen (Mr
Bragg Wed. June 27) to us in a way they have not hitherto.
yours truly,
Adrian L Romilly, Plymouth, Devon, England e-mail:
AdrianRomilly AT aol.com
ON "SOVEREIGNTY" OF PARLIAMENTS AND CITIZEN LAW-MAKING (more)
Michael Macpherson I&Rgb: As often in British debate about constitution what is glaringly missing is that essential organ of the body of state, the people. May2007
CITIZENS' DIRECT DEMOCRACY AT WORK
swisspolitics.org alert from 27.02.2007
Dear swisspolitics reader,
The next nationwide vote takes place on March 11th. Voters are invited to decide on the popular initiative for a single health insurance scheme.
For more information and links on the issues click on our special page:
http://www.swisspolitics.org/en/news/index.php?page=aktuelle_abstimmungen
QVORTRUP SPEAKS UP FOR DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN BRITAIN
Radio 4's
Today
programme 0845 on Saturday morning 17 Feb 2007
BBC writes: "Despite having attracted nearly a million and a half
signatures the petition to stop road charging has not worked. So what
does this sort of situation do to democracy? We ask Steve Richards
& Matt Qvortrup."
Interview. Visit the
18
Doughty Street website click on the One to One programme and
selecting Prof
Qvortrup's
interview with Michael Ediae (or search archive).
Supply Side Politics: How Citizens' Initiatives could revitalise
British Politics, by Prof Matt Qvortrup, published by the Centre for
Policy Studies, a conservative institute
DOWNLOAD
Source
Peter Riddell in
The
Times comments on Qvortrup
WEAK DEMOCRACY: PETITION DOWNING
STREET
The press corps seems impressed by the
prime minister's on-line petition system -- see recent articles cited
below.
Our view on this system is as follows:
The Downing Street e-petition scheme's novelty may soon wear off. It
does seem to be of some use as a way to bring problems and ideas to
public attention. On the other hand even very good and well supported
proposals can be ignored by the government.
Can we do better democracy? We think so. If say half a million people
sign a proposal then parliament should be obliged to debate it and
decide for or against. If they turn it down then the proposal should be
put to the whole electorate in referendum (plebiscite). Local issues
may be treated in the same way via the council.
Compare the petition at
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/i-and-r.gb
For more information about citizens' law proposal (initiative) and
referendum see
http://www.iniref.org
Regards
Wallace-Macpherson
Background:
The Times
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/article1336496.ece
Guardian
Don't ignore a million angry voices, Mr Blair
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2010571,00.html
LOCAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS: CHANCE FOR
DD CAMPAIGN
Subject: Local council elections: Propose
I and R
cc:
Our-Say, Saira Khan and friends
Diana Wallis MEP
Electoral Commission
Charter88, Ron Bailey
New Politics Network, Peter Facey
Unlock Democracy
Democracy International
Initiative and Referendum Institute - IRI Europe
Democratic Audit
Posted in TalkDemocracy 6th Feb 2007
http://www.talkdemocracy.org.uk/talk/
--------------------------------------------------
Friends and Colleagues:
In May 2007 there will be local elections.
Well prior to these I suggest that members of this forum put together
broad recommendations for local DIRECT democracy, including the
citizens' initiative and referendum. The proposal could then be sent to
local news media, candidates for election and campaigning groups,
perhaps concentrating on a selection of constituencies.
Is someone doing this already? If not, who would like to work on it?
Quite a few local councils have already run their own referenda. There
appears to be no reason why they should not be able to do this. The
result must not be formally binding on the council but a council could
agreed in advance to be guided by the ballot.
(Similar proposals could be prepared for elections to Wales Assembly
and Scottish Parliament).
Sincerely,
Michael
Dr. Michael Macpherson
I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
a campaign for direct democracy in Britain
http://www.iniref.org/
SAVE BERLIN'S CITY AIRPORT: FORMER CONSERVATIVE MP STARTS INITIATIVE
29 Nov 2006 Lobbyists for Tempelhof airport, Berlin FRG, will tomorrow launch a citizens' initiative to save the centrally situated airport which is threatened with closure. More ...
600.000 endorsements (signatures) will be needed for a referendum demand. If enough endorsements are obtained, unless the city government accepts the proposal unchanged, a binding referendum will follow.
ROUTINE SWISS DEMOCRACY
On November 26th 2006 citizens were invited to cast their ballots on
the following issues :
- Standardisation of family allowances
- The Swiss contribution to the European cohesion fund
For more information see:
http://www.swisspolitics.org/en/news/index.php?page=aktuelle_abstimmungen
http://www.iniref.org/swissdemocracy.html
GM CROPS VIA THE BACK DOOR?
"Public opposition to GM crops is being overridden by a government
determined to back the industry"
"the government's view is that there is "no scientific case" for a
total ban. ... campaigners, suspect that the Environment Secretary,
David Miliband, is looking for a way to overcome public opposition."
Source: http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/article1904982.ece
Defra accused of introducing GM through back door By Andy McSmith 20 October 2006
I&R ~GB OPINION
Where there is a clear political will of the people then we should
exercise our right to decide by plebiscite. In 2005 the Swiss people,
following a citizens' law initiative, decided "in favor of a five-year
ban on the use of genetically modified plants and animals in farming"
(Reuters). Under two percent of registered voters can place such a
proposal on the public agenda and compel parliament to debate it.
Parliament may pass the proposal as law, put forward an alternative or
reject the proposal. In the latter two cases a binding plebiscite of
the whole electorate must be held.
I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
a campaign for direct democracy in Britain
LOCALISM OR CITIZENS' DEMOCRACY?
Posted 22 Sept 06 Guardian comment
According to today's Telegraph (24Sept06) Gordon Brown is going to
offer a radical renewal of government. This includes so called localism
expressed as "It means the devolution of power from central government
to local communities and to individuals," echoing a conservative party
group's campaign (falsely named) "Direct Democracy". Also he generously
mentions the possibility that he is considering plans to "give" us a
written constitution. In an earlier remark made in response to the
Power Inquiry's 2006 report he conceded that those in power should
perhaps "give" a little power to the people.
Brown apparently does not do democracy.
What am I getting at? For instance
1) We in Britain urgently need a review of the state constitution. A
healthy way to do this would be to have a focussed and serious public
debate about what we want and to organise a process of drafting which
is fair, egalitarian and efficacious. This cannot be done by a
government "constitution" department. A constitution enables a people
and electorate to control, scrutinise and if necessary sanction its
power-holding and -exercising bodies such as parliament, government and
legal system. Allowing government to write the rules about governing is
like setting the fox to guard the geese, or giving the stag the
gardener's job.
2) Power addicts across the political spectrum are attempting to
cash
in on the rising popularity of principles of stronger democracy with
broad sweeping suggestions such as "devolution of power from central
government to local communities and to individuals". They
carefully avoid to endorse effective ways to participate in power, such
as the citizens' law-proposal ("initiative"), veto-referendum and
"proposative" (electorate-triggered) plebiscite.
More detail about the latter is at http://www.iniref.org/learn.html
Wallace-Macpherson
DIRECT DEMOCRACY AND CONSTITUTION
Posted to
Taking Power
September 6th, 2006 at 2:37 pm
A number of problems with our democracy and government are fundamental
and may be termed constitutional, for instance the way we elect
politicians or the structure, powers and functions of the second
chamber of parliament, House of Lords. This sort of reform should not
be “self-made” by parliament alone but should be made after information
and debate which has involved, as far as reasonably possible, the whole
electorate and many young people, future voters. The resulting
proposals should be put to referendum, a plebiscite meaning “decision
of the people”.
There’s a lot to be said for the method of people’s initiative or
citizens’ law proposal. If a large agreed number of people endorse a
proposal then it must go to parliament for debate and on to referendum
if the MPs reject it.
The Our Say project for more direct democracy such as referenda is to
be welcomed http://www.our-say.org
Lets hope that we can co-operate.
Our campaign I&R GB, for citizens’ initiative and referendum, has
been up and running for longer. We offer lots of free information,
welcome active members and supporters, see
http://www.iniref.org/campaign1.html
Michael Macpherson
ROWNTREE'S POWER INQUIRY
Posted to
Taking Power
September 6th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
We have already published a response to the Power Inquiry. Here are
some excerpts and a reference to the on-line document.
The PoWEr Inquiry provided helpful insights into how people across the
land judge the hitherto conduct of (their own) public affairs by “the
powers that be”, into their attitudes to our system of governance and
to politicians. Answers to specific questions about how people would
like to participate in local and national public affairs if given the
chance are especially illuminating and encouraging, confirming survey
data which we have previously cited (….) At least in the PoWEr report,
“ordinary” people have their say. (….)
PoWEr has included direct democracy with other reforms in a “packet”
and “cherry-picking” is discouraged. PoWEr proposes three “fundamental
shifts in the way politics is conducted in Britain” QUOTE
• A re-balancing of power between the constituent elements of the
political system: a shift of power away from the Executive to
Parliament and from central to local government.(….)
• The creation of an electoral and party system which is responsive
enough to the changing values and demands of today’s population to
allow the necessary and organic creation of new political alliances,
value systems and organisations which better represent those values and
demands.
• The creation of a culture of political engagement in which policy and
decision-making employs direct input from citizens. The system should
provide citizens with clear rights and processes by which to exercise
that input from conception through to implementation.
These three imperatives stand or fall alongside each other. The
implementation of only one or two of the three will not create the
re-engagement with formal democracy for which many people now hope.
Elected representatives need greater freedom, but if they still belong
to parties which have lost their connection with the wider public or
have no reason to enter into detailed dialogue with that wider public,
disengagement will continue. UNQUOTE
I&R GB comments:
The most effective way to ensure that “policy and decision-making
employs direct input from citizens”, as identified in PoWEr’s own
survey (57 varieties, drafted by Graham Smith) is to introduce and
apply elements of direct, citizens’ democracy as described (see link
below) in connection with PoWEr’s Recommendation 24. These methods and
procedures, such as citizens‘ initiative and referendum, enable the
people of a polity to decide matters of constitution and to steer
important policy issues. Thus, this “direct democracy” is a principle
of higher order than all other proposed reforms. Direct democracy may,
arguably should, be used to introduce major reforms and make changes to
constitution.
——————————————–
The above excerpts are taken from a short on-line paper which may be
loaded down free from
http://www.iniref.org/poWEr.prelim.html
Comment on the Report 2006 of the Rowntree Trusts’ Power Commission —
Power to the People
What’s in it for direct democrats?
Preliminary response
Regards
Michael Macpherson
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