Referendum for the RIGHT to referendum (pilot run)

VOTING PAPER

Introduction Many people have expresssed discontent with the way democracy works and there are different opinions as to what should be done to improve it. In Britain, for instance, there are plans to reform the second chamber of parliament and to change the system for electing members of parliament.

Another suggested improvement is to introduce the right of citizens to veto laws passed by parliament and the right to introduce their own proposals or laws to be put to referendum. An agreed number of supporting signatures must be collected to initiate these procedures. This type of "direct democracy", side by side with "representative democracy", is already well tried in Switzerland, the USA and elsewhere. In this "pilot referendum", you are asked to give your support for the introduction of citizen initiated direct democracy in Great Britain. Results will be published in the World Wide Web not identifying persons. Further information about citizens' referendum may be obtained by writing to <info@iniref.org>

Referendum demand

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.

Signed..................................

Family name.............................. Forename(s)..........................................

Address:

Street*................................town/district..................................................

Postcode*...................... country........................

* optional