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As a German, I feel I can't preach about democracy. It is not my intention to patronise. I'd just like to provide an outside view, aware of our own historical, moral responsibility & full of gratitude & love for a country that saved us from ourselves & is still my 2nd home.
THREAD
There is a democratic deficit in the UK. The mother of democracies has failed to safeguard its institutions. The First-past-the-post system was designed to ensure stability. Currently, it is used to stifle scrutiny, accountability & opposition.
There is a democratic deficit in the UK. The mother of democracies has failed to safeguard its institutions. The First-past-the-post system was designed to ensure stability. Currently, it is used to stifle scrutiny, accountability & opposition.
Compliance from actors intended to keep checks and balances have not helped. Much of the media has been taken over by far-right campaigners, and the set up of the House of Lords (a weak, because randomly selected corrective) is inadequate.
So here is what I would do:
- cement democratic principles in a written constitution
- introduce proportional representation
- create a 2nd chamber that represents regions (and whose approval is required for any legislation affecting the union)
- make the House of Lords advisory
- cement democratic principles in a written constitution
- introduce proportional representation
- create a 2nd chamber that represents regions (and whose approval is required for any legislation affecting the union)
- make the House of Lords advisory
[before you scream: I think they do have a lot to offer. Ok, if you must, scrap much of the perks, but allow those that have shown true dedication to this country to contribute - you can never have have too much input or experience, and the tradition does count]
- safeguard and protect the judiciary. It must be independent at all cost.
- register everyone to vote. Yes, that means registering everyone. But asking people to register their right to vote is an additional, easily abused hurdle & barrier; a democracy *encourages* you to vote
- register everyone to vote. Yes, that means registering everyone. But asking people to register their right to vote is an additional, easily abused hurdle & barrier; a democracy *encourages* you to vote
- create an independent watchdog for lies, half-truths and obfuscations, both for elections and referendums (and no, it cannot be just advisory)
- oblige every public official to record and publish their out-of-office memberships and sponsors. Yes, that is an administrative effort that will cost time and money. It is called transparency. And it's part of the job.
Democracy is not law-and-order or quick-and-fix. It's checks and balances and decency before expediency. Or power. Or selfishness. Yes, it's difficult. But I would not want it any other way.
There you go. /END
There you go. /END
