WEB SITE CONTENTS GB-CAMPAIGN FOR DIRECT DEMOCRACY

iniref.org
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CONTENTS IN BRIEF

ballot.html

Ballot for our right to referendum

CAST YOUR VOTE FOR MORE DEMOCRACY !
We the people of Britain currently do NOT have the right to call a referendum on an important matter of public concern.

blog.html BLOG INIREF
... things bright and beautiful

bookstall.html Bookstall I&R, direct democracy articles and reports

By purchasing ACCESS to these papers you support democracy reform in GB+NI

brainstorm.html ideas for action I&R

• give special attention to candidates in borderline and "megastar" constituencies, and those with ministerial ambition • I&Reach out to people and groups

britishEUreferendum1.html British referendum on a european constitution A debate in Usenet e-groups

britishEUreferendum2.html
want to do something? A debate in Usenet e-groups ...continued

bundesebene.html

Citizens' referendum for the Federal Republic! Volksentscheid auf Bundesebene!
2002

Citizens' referendum for the Federal Republic! Conservative Party CDU/CSU blockades German democracy (again)

campaign1.html
Campaign for direct democracy GB
Join the campaign // Our aims// Sign the ballot // The case for I&R // News and reports // Resources // Conference London 2004 Reader

case.html
Renew Democracy with I&R
1999
The case for introducing elements of direct democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland

CDD,ConLibDemLab.pdf
PDF file available via LATEST
Citizens and Direct Democracy: What chance of reform do the major UK political parties offer?

climate-ballot.html
Climate Pollution Greenhouse Referendum?
Re: Citizens' initiative on greenhouse gases: A suitable case for referendum? "Comments please"

CoE2000.doc
Council of Europe: Information Society Proceedings
Citizen participation in politics and the new systems of communication by Dr. Michael Macpherson
colour.html
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS NEED 
STRONG DEMOCRACY
Feb 2003
Anti-war demonstrations and public opinion are unlikely to influence government security policy. Solution is to introduce *partial* direct democracy .... million who demonstrated in London could "trigger" a referendum.
comment.gb.html The State of Democracy in Britain
COMMENT during preparation of the direct democracy conference, October 2004, London. Have we in Britain reached the "state of the art" in democracy?

comp1.html
Renew Democracy
1999
REFER to people's proposal
Once in a while, ideas come along which might make a great difference in the way political power is balanced. The concepts of initiative, referendum and recall arose a century ago ... Jay Moor, Global Urban Observatory UNO - Habitat

conf.html
DD conference London 2004
documentation
Direct democracy in countries of Europe: It works! "For debate: We need more direct democracy in Britain"

conf.london.doc
CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT
Clement House, London School of
Economics, December 2004

Direct democracy in countries of Europe: It works!
"For debate: We need more direct democracy in Britain"

contact.html
contact I&R Find further information about
citizens' initiative and referendum
You can join and support the campaign for citizens' initiative and referendum. Follow this link to the ACTION PAGE

critics.html
Arguing for democratic reform
2005

Cautious reform, radical change or status quo? We have collected opinions of experts and critics of democracy

dd-info.html
Help to promote I&R in Britain
NEWS, BULLETINS, REPORTS
ON-GOING AND RECENT ON-LINE DEBATES

dd5.pdf
THE CITIZENS' INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM: DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN 5 COUNTRIES
OF EUROPE
Pre-print of a paper published in a peer-reviewed on-line journal

debates.html
Debates about democracy
EXAMPLE On-line discussion concerning the legal basis for national referendums in Britain. Venue: British university fora; law-public, public-admin-and-management
democracy-prospect-gb.html
Direct democracy in Britain:
progress, prospects
2001-
Table of contents only. Full paper 
is on the "bookstall" linked above.
notes for an on-going documentation and report concerning:Prospects for more democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
form.html
BECOME AN I&R MEMBER
Membership application form
Join or support the Campaign for more democracy in Britain
frg-draft-law.html
FRG draft law background
2002
DRAFT LAW TO INTRODUCE CITIZENS' INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM INTO THE BASIC (CONSTITUTIONAL) LAW OF FRG
gb-debate-dd.html
GB Citizens' Direct Democracy: Debate with Experts DEBATE DD:GB Proposals for the introduction of Elements of Direct Democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland

index.html
Campaign for direct democracy GB MAIN INDEX PAGE WITH FRESHLY UPDATED LINKS
index1.html
CITIZENS' INITIATIVE I&R
"Blackboard"
introduction.html
campaign: 
citizens' initiative and 
referendum I&R
Introduction to I and R
Aims of our I&R campaign
Your comments welcome
join.html
become a member of I&R!
INVITATION BECOME A MEMBER OF I&R-GB
laeden.html
OPTIONAL (FACULTATIVE) VETO REFERENDUM
SWISS REJECT VETO OF GOVERNMENT LAW BY OPTIONAL REFERENDUM
latest.html
Campaign for direct democracy GB
Ideas, news about DD, citizens' democracy in action, progress GB
leaflet.html
leaflet.pdf
I&R leaflet
I&R leaflet
THE DEMOCRACY VIRUS (NOT a computer virus) pass on the infection DRAFT LEAFLET
learn.html
Background Papers 
Forum Databanks
Free background info. about direct democracy, including citizens' initiative and referendum, plus an invitation to Democr@cy Forum.
leftright.html
Direct democracy 
right or left?
Do politically-based biases stunt the growth of direct democracy?
letter.html
Guardian on apathy: Response
April 2005
The Guardian and other serious organs of the "media" have a blind spot for this defect, a democratic scotoma!
local-referendum.html
Local referendum in 
England and Wales
HOW TO ORGANISE A LOCAL REFERENDUM FOR YOUR PARISH OR COMMUNITY
natref1.html
Legal basis for 
national referendums
Questions to members of the LAW-PUBLIC and PUBLIC-ADMIN British universities e-forums. Is there a legal basis for referendums in Britain? Or is there only an unwritten tradition?
nrw.html
North-Rhein-Westfalia
MORE DEMOCRACY
In future 0.5 percent of eligible voters (about 65,000 citizens) will be able to oblige the Land-parliament to debate an important public issue
plan.html
I&R campaign: 
THREE AIMS,ACHIEVEMENTS,PLANS
To inform, to promote public debate, to work for the introduction of elements of direct democracy, such as I and R plus recall of elected representatives, into the British system of government.
plan2006.pdf
PDF file available via LATEST I&R ~ GB ASSESSMENT AND PLAN 2006 onwards. Contents: The campaign for direct democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland/Power Inquiry into governance in Britain backs DD/Ways to progress

poWEr.prelim.doc
poWEr.prelim.html
poWEr.prelim.pdf
Power Inquiry (Rowntree) and
Direct Democracy
Recommendation 24: Citizens should be given the right to initiate legislative processes, public inquiries and hearings into public bodies and their senior management.
COMMENT BY I&R~GB
proposal.html
proposal.pdf
People's proposal 
to renew democracy
May 1999
Imagine ... a people's referendum for the citizen's right to take part in public affairs. Could this be a new way to revive democracy?
recall.html
RECALL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT OR COUNCIL The recall is the people's power to force a public official out of office.

ref.const.pdf
Referenda: Plebiscites or Opinion Polls
An Analysis of the Use, Constitutionality and
Appropriateness of Direct Democracy in
the British Constitution. By DHRUV PATEL
Recent evidence points to voters being more conscientious than Dicey gave them credit for. /It is patronising to assume – after having accepted popular sovereignty – that the People are not capable of making important decisions for themselves. /In short, the arguments against entrusting important decisions to the voters are fallacious ....

referendum-gb.pdf

BALLOT FOR DIRECT DEMOCRACY
IN BRITAIN

Ready-to-print ballot paper for collecting
endorsing signatures

The Ballot Proposal
The people of GB+NI shall have the right to call a binding referendum on important public issues by collecting a previously agreed number of signatures, and the right to put forward a public proposal by citizens' initiative.
resources.html
Resources, 
London DD Meeting 2004
SELECTED READING AND RESOURCES ABOUT DIRECT DEMOCRACY: BRITAIN, GERMANY, ITALY, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, SWITZERLAND
PLUS GENERAL RESOURCES
rfc1.html
Renew Democracy
April-May 1999
What if very many thousands of British citizens were to sign a proposal for a new law? Could a way be then found to bring it before the elected law-makers at Westminster?
scroll.html
scroll.pdf
Basic Rights: 
Initiative, Referendum
With the "initiative" a citizen or group has the right to put forward a proposal to introduce or change law. In order that a proposal will be put to the electorate in a "referendum" or "ballot" an agreed number of endorsements ("signatures") must be collected and validated.
start-up.html
start-up 
I&R campaign groups
Why not start a group for more democracy and real public participation, based for example in your town, city or county? Having I and R would alter - for the better - the way public decisions are made and the way policy is carried out. And with the instruments of I and R we the people can make and change our constitution.
steps.doc
steps.html
steps.pdf
Proposal: 
New democratic procedures 
GB+N
The best proposals compete and are selected to go forward only if they collect enough endorsement by (many) fellow citizens. /Our system integrates parliamentary and citizens' democracy. It brings citizens and MPs together to consider and debate issues of real concern to the electorate.
support.html
Campaign: 
Citizens' I and R for Britain
We are looking for volunteers and partners for challenging and exciting ventures! Gifts and donations will improve our chances of success. They are urgently needed.
swaffham.html
Swaffham citizens' referendum 2003
As a taxpayers action group, several residents of Swaffham in Norfolk organised a Parish Poll on the question of whether or not our Council should build a town hall extension. / 80% of the vote was against the building.
About the Parish Poll: We got the information from the internet and called the Public meeting ....
swiss-home.html
Swiss democracy and governance
The Swiss system of governance. "Elements" of direct democracy run partly alongside, partly integrated with the indirect, "representative" democracy of parliament and government.
swissdemocracy.html Swiss direct democracy

Popular initiatives do not originate from the Parliament or Government but from the citizens themselves. They are therefore regarded as the driving force behind direct democracy.

usa1.html
USA BALLOT ISSUES 2000
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Voters in at least 38 states will be voting on over 180 statewide ballot
measures. And this is not even counting the multitudinous municipal-level ballot measures!
vote.html
vote.pdf
Referendum for the RIGHT to
referendum (pilot run)
"I vote that we the people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland should have the right to hold a referendum on public issues by collecting a previously agreed number of signatures."
whyconfer.html
DIRECT DEMOCRACY
CONFERENCE
LONDON 2004
REPORT
The conference had two aims, firstly to supply knowledge about how direct democracy works in places where it is established ... four countries of western Europe and one "post-communist" country of eastern Europe; and secondly to stimulate a debate about the future role of direct democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
view earlier site map

http://www.iniref.org/	PAGE HEADER	CONTENTS IN BRIEF
ballot.html	Ballot for our right to referendum CAST YOUR VOTE FOR MORE DEMOCRACY !	We the people of Britain currently do NOT have the right to call a referendum on an important matter of public concern.
blog.html	BLOG INIREF	... things bright and beautiful
bookstall.html	Bookstall I&R, direct democracy articles and reports	By purchasing ACCESS to these papers you support democracy reform in GB+NI
brainstorm.html	ideas for action I&R	• give special attention to candidates in borderline and "megastar" constituencies, and those with ministerial ambition • I&Reach out to people and groups
britishEUreferendum1.html	British referendum on a european constitution	A debate in Usenet e-groups
britishEUreferendum2.html	want to do something?	A debate in Usenet e-groups ...continued
bundesebene.html	Citizens' referendum for the Federal Republic! Volksentscheid auf Bundesebene! 2002	Citizens' referendum for the Federal Republic! Conservative Party CDU/CSU blockades German democracy (again)
campaign1.html	Campaign for direct democracy GB	Join the campaign // Our aims// Sign the ballot // The case for I&R // News and reports // Resources // Conference London 2004 Reader
case.html	Renew Democracy with I&R 1999	The case for introducing elements of direct democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
CDD,ConLibDemLab.pdf	PDF file available via LATEST	Citizens and Direct Democracy: What chance of reform do the major UK political parties offer?
climate-ballot.html	Climate Pollution Greenhouse Referendum?	Re: Citizens' initiative on greenhouse gases: A suitable case for referendum? "Comments please"
CoE2000.doc	Council of Europe: Information Society Proceedings	Citizen participation in politics and the new systems of communication by Dr. Michael Macpherson
colour.html	SOCIAL MOVEMENTS NEED STRONG DEMOCRACY Feb 2003	Anti-war demonstrations and public opinion are unlikely to influence government security policy. Solution is to introduce partial direct democracy .... million who demonstrated in London could "trigger" a referendum.
comment.gb.html	The State of Democracy in Britain	COMMENT during preparation of the direct democracy conference, October 2004, London. Have we in Britain reached the "state of the art" in democracy?
comp1.html	Renew Democracy 1999 REFER to people's proposal	Once in a while, ideas come along which might make a great difference in the way political power is balanced. The concepts of initiative, referendum and recall arose a century ago ... Jay Moor, Global Urban Observatory UNO - Habitat
conf.html	DD conference London 2004 documentation	Direct democracy in countries of Europe: It works! "For debate: We need more direct democracy in Britain"
conf.london.doc	CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT Clement House, London School of Economics, December 2004	Direct democracy in countries of Europe: It works! "For debate: We need more direct democracy in Britain"
contact.html	contact I&R Find further information about citizens' initiative and referendum	You can join and support the campaign for citizens' initiative and referendum. Follow this link to the ACTION PAGE
critics.html	Arguing for democratic reform 2005	Cautious reform, radical change or status quo? We have collected opinions of experts and critics of democracy
dd-info.html	Help to promote I&R in Britain	NEWS, BULLETINS, REPORTS ON-GOING AND RECENT ON-LINE DEBATES
dd5.pdf	THE CITIZENS' INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM: DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN 5 COUNTRIES OF EUROPE	Pre-print of a paper published in a peer-reviewed on-line journal
debates.html	Debates about democracy	EXAMPLE On-line discussion concerning the legal basis for national referendums in Britain. Venue: British university fora; law-public, public-admin-and-management
democracy-prospect-gb.html	Direct democracy in Britain: progress, prospects 2001- Table of contents only. Full paper is on the "bookstall" linked above.	notes for an on-going documentation and report concerning:Prospects for more democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
form.html	BECOME AN I&R MEMBER	Membership application form Join or support the Campaign for more democracy in Britain
frg-draft-law.html	FRG draft law background 2002	DRAFT LAW TO INTRODUCE CITIZENS' INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM INTO THE BASIC (CONSTITUTIONAL) LAW OF FRG
gb-debate-dd.html	GB Citizens' Direct Democracy: Debate with Experts	DEBATE DD:GB Proposals for the introduction of Elements of Direct Democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
index.html	Campaign for direct democracy GB	MAIN INDEX PAGE WITH FRESHLY UPDATED LINKS
index1.html	CITIZENS' INITIATIVE I&R	"Blackboard"
introduction.html	campaign: citizens' initiative and referendum I&R	Introduction to I and R Aims of our I&R campaign Your comments welcome
join.html	become a member of I&R!	INVITATION BECOME A MEMBER OF I&R-GB
laeden.html	OPTIONAL (FACULTATIVE) VETO REFERENDUM	SWISS REJECT VETO OF GOVERNMENT LAW BY OPTIONAL REFERENDUM
latest.html	Campaign for direct democracy GB	Ideas, news about DD, citizens' democracy in action, progress GB
leaflet.html leaflet.pdf	I&R leaflet I&R leaflet	THE DEMOCRACY VIRUS (NOT a computer virus) pass on the infection DRAFT LEAFLET
learn.html	Background Papers Forum Databanks	Free background info. about direct democracy, including citizens' initiative and referendum, plus an invitation to Democr@cy Forum.
leftright.html	Direct democracy right or left?	Do politically-based biases stunt the growth of direct democracy?
letter.html	Guardian on apathy: Response April 2005	The Guardian and other serious organs of the "media" have a blind spot for this defect, a democratic scotoma!
local-referendum.html	Local referendum in England and Wales	HOW TO ORGANISE A LOCAL REFERENDUM FOR YOUR PARISH OR COMMUNITY
natref1.html	Legal basis for national referendums	Questions to members of the LAW-PUBLIC and PUBLIC-ADMIN British universities e-forums. Is there a legal basis for referendums in Britain? Or is there only an unwritten tradition?
nrw.html	North-Rhein-Westfalia MORE DEMOCRACY	In future 0.5 percent of eligible voters (about 65,000 citizens) will be able to oblige the Land-parliament to debate an important public issue
plan.html	I&R campaign: THREE AIMS,ACHIEVEMENTS,PLANS	To inform, to promote public debate, to work for the introduction of elements of direct democracy, such as I and R plus recall of elected representatives, into the British system of government.
plan2006.pdf	PDF file available via LATEST	I&R ~ GB ASSESSMENT AND PLAN 2006 onwards. Contents: The campaign for direct democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland/Power Inquiry into governance in Britain backs DD/Ways to progress
poWEr.prelim.doc poWEr.prelim.html poWEr.prelim.pdf	Power Inquiry (Rowntree) and Direct Democracy	Recommendation 24: Citizens should be given the right to initiate legislative processes, public inquiries and hearings into public bodies and their senior management. COMMENT BY I&R~GB
proposal.html proposal.pdf	People's proposal to renew democracy May 1999	Imagine ... a people's referendum for the citizen's right to take part in public affairs. Could this be a new way to revive democracy?
recall.html	RECALL OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT OR COUNCIL	The recall is the people's power to force a public official out of office.
ref.const.pdf	Referenda: Plebiscites or Opinion Polls An Analysis of the Use, Constitutionality and Appropriateness of Direct Democracy in the British Constitution. By DHRUV PATEL	Recent evidence points to voters being more conscientious than Dicey gave them credit for. /It is patronising to assume – after having accepted popular sovereignty – that the People are not capable of making important decisions for themselves. /In short, the arguments against entrusting important decisions to the voters are fallacious ....
referendum-gb.pdf	BALLOT FOR DIRECT DEMOCRACY IN BRITAIN Ready-to-print ballot paper for collecting endorsing signatures	The Ballot Proposal The people of GB+NI shall have the right to call a binding referendum on important public issues by collecting a previously agreed number of signatures, and the right to put forward a public proposal by citizens' initiative.
resources.html	Resources, London DD Meeting 2004	SELECTED READING AND RESOURCES ABOUT DIRECT DEMOCRACY: BRITAIN, GERMANY, ITALY, NETHERLANDS, POLAND, SWITZERLAND PLUS GENERAL RESOURCES
rfc1.html	Renew Democracy April-May 1999	What if very many thousands of British citizens were to sign a proposal for a new law? Could a way be then found to bring it before the elected law-makers at Westminster?
scroll.html scroll.pdf	Basic Rights: Initiative, Referendum	With the "initiative" a citizen or group has the right to put forward a proposal to introduce or change law. In order that a proposal will be put to the electorate in a "referendum" or "ballot" an agreed number of endorsements ("signatures") must be collected and validated.
start-up.html	start-up I&R campaign groups	Why not start a group for more democracy and real public participation, based for example in your town, city or county? Having I and R would alter - for the better - the way public decisions are made and the way policy is carried out. And with the instruments of I and R we the people can make and change our constitution.
steps.doc steps.html steps.pdf	Proposal: New democratic procedures GB+N	The best proposals compete and are selected to go forward only if they collect enough endorsement by (many) fellow citizens. /Our system integrates parliamentary and citizens' democracy. It brings citizens and MPs together to consider and debate issues of real concern to the electorate.
support.html	Campaign: Citizens' I and R for Britain	We are looking for volunteers and partners for challenging and exciting ventures! Gifts and donations will improve our chances of success. They are urgently needed.
swaffham.html	Swaffham citizens' referendum 2003	As a taxpayers action group, several residents of Swaffham in Norfolk organised a Parish Poll on the question of whether or not our Council should build a town hall extension. / 80% of the vote was against the building. About the Parish Poll: We got the information from the internet and called the Public meeting ....
swiss-home.html	Swiss democracy and governance	The Swiss system of governance. "Elements" of direct democracy run partly alongside, partly integrated with the indirect, "representative" democracy of parliament and government.
swissdemocracy.html	Swiss direct democracy	Popular initiatives do not originate from the Parliament or Government but from the citizens themselves. They are therefore regarded as the driving force behind direct democracy.
usa1.html	USA BALLOT ISSUES 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION	Voters in at least 38 states will be voting on over 180 statewide ballot measures. And this is not even counting the multitudinous municipal-level ballot measures!
vote.html vote.pdf	Referendum for the RIGHT to referendum (pilot run)	"I vote that we the people of Great Britain and Northern Ireland should have the right to hold a referendum on public issues by collecting a previously agreed number of signatures."
whyconfer.html	DIRECT DEMOCRACY CONFERENCE LONDON 2004 REPORT	The conference had two aims, firstly to supply knowledge about how direct democracy works in places where it is established ... four countries of western Europe and one "post-communist" country of eastern Europe; and secondly to stimulate a debate about the future role of direct democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.