GRASS ROOTS AND COLLECTIVE ACTIVISM
Space/spheres:
local/ country-wide/ focus:
parliamentary constituencies/
international
Actors:
citizens/ members in
organisations, unions, NGOs/ staff in public
services/ students/ academics. THIS MEANS YOU
:-) and me. We invite co-operation
and also if you wish to set up a new direct
democracy initiative, project, campaign or
action group then please go ahead .... let us
know how you fare, ask us for help if
you need it.
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approach, discuss with
MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
Spheres: Mainly
constituency-based organising and
contact-seeking. Lobbying via acquaintance,
professional or business contact
etc. Actors:
Mainly MPs'
own potential voters, constituents and
supporters.
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contact, persuade, cajole
CANDIDATES FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Sphere: Mainly
parliamentary constituencies during run-up to
elections. Actors:
As above. Request candidates to promise support
(if elected) for the Direct Democracy Bill.
Invite them to sign our "pledge" (ask us for
detail).
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discuss, inform
LOCAL COUNCILLORS
Tactic: Suggest
that local councils can introduce methods of
direct democracy. They could publicly announce
readiness to accept citizens' proposals e.g.
policy or planning, which if supported by many
residents' endorsement could trigger a
referendum. Councils can agree in advance to
abide by the people's ballot decision.
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question
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATIONS
During debates about the
Localism Bill these organisations outed
themselves as bastions of opposition to local
direct democracy. Tactic:
Write to ask why they opposed the citizens'
referendum and publish their reply. Try reasoned
argument ;-)
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call to action
TRADE UNIONS
Members of trade unions and
officials are requested to promote a union
policy favouring the introduction of direct
democracy for local and national government. We
are keen to discuss if trade unions could
formally adopt a DD proposal. Reform to our
system of democracy is a matter of state
constitution and so may not fall under any legal
ban on union political activity.
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seek co-operation, discourse, support
CAMPAIGNS, COMMUNITIES, NGOs,
RELIGION-BASED GROUPS, MEDIA PROJECTS
We ask groups and
organisations to include direct democracy among
their reform demands and to make own initiatives
such as press releases, meetings which thematise
DD, videos, broadcasts, internet actions and
other forms of presentation and promotion.
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