RealDemocracy.uk
Apologies for the lack of updates in the past month. Long story, but we have taken the opportunity to wait and see how the Starmer administration would evolve. And it has confirmed all the worst fears and warnings that Starmer was a humourless, dogmatic authoritarian Fabian socialist, who had concealed his real intentions from gullible electors - and who is now claiming a massive mandate from just 20% of the electorate.
We are pleased to observe that many more people have realized the scope of the electoral fraud - which was achieved by gaming a fundamentally broken electoral system and are starting to make noises about the need for fundamental reform. And with a view to replacing this shabby illegitimocracy well inside the five year term.
* Fixing the democratic deficit: a blog curating key issues
Oh blimey - we had not anticipated our opportunity would arrive so suddenly and starkly. There are many things to keep in mind as these interesting times unfurl.
It is a wonderful opportunity to have a civilised and grown up "revolution" on the moral high ground of bringing in a electoral system that respects and engages the will of the Electorate.
WOTE.uk has been anticipating this moment - but we didn't expect Keir Starmer would be quite so incompetent, and implode quite so spectacularly.
(Please Note - we are "restyling" WoteUk.uk as realdemocracy.uk - People cannot help but be distracted by the similarity to WOKE. But we will retain wote.uk as an "umbrella brand" with a tidy alias. eg https://wote.uk/blog
Pete North is compiling an important manifesto project - you need to participate! https://www.northernvariant.co.uk/
Demand your politicians listen to The Will Of The Electorate: every day... not just once every 5 years....
* WOTE explained here! Please scroll down for the (universal) pledge...
WOTE is housing for the politically homeless.
Now let's have accountable and effective government - without dogmatic politics (or dogmatic politicians). Scroll down and explore the menus.
WOTE.uk Blog
The Pledge draft #3
This is the foundation of the WOTE principle. But all candidates - independent or party sponsored - could undertake to do what their electors ask/instruct as an expression of good faith. And sign the pledge at any time.
Notes on a proposed voting system to follow - but it is likely to be a secure email platform where the proposition is to reply "Yes, No or Abstain".
Simple, unambiguous and scalable. Why wouldn't they? Try it, all you new MPs, it's good karma...
"... As the elected person for (constituency), I pledge that....
Where my electorate unambiguously wishes me to vote on a particular motion, I will obey. (e.g. >50% of the whole electorate)
Where my electorate expresses a strong view, I will only demur where my conscience demands that I should disobey. (Significant majority, but
< 50%)
Where the electorate is divided, I am able to use my own discretion, knowing that my vote will be noted by the electorate.
I understand that my voting record will be made available to the Electorate at the next election.
Signed
Prospective candidate for (constituency)
One year on... www.wote.uk
The story so far... (30 April 24 update)
Some politically homeless UK voters - neither Far Left nor Far Right - rather the "silenced majority"- kicked an idea around a year ago for The Will Of The Electorate Party. (www.wote.uk)
It was to be an "umbrella" for individuals (independents) to provide housing for the politically homeless, with candidates who undertook to vote in parliament in line with the way their electors asked/told them to vote. It was to be more like a federation than a traditional party.
WOTE MPs would be expected to park their own personal agendas and dogma, and do what a rolling opinion poll of the electors told them to do - (subject to various elements of finesse, and other safeguards). Many requests sent to MPs by exasperated voters in recent times have been physically impossible, although shares in the makers of KY Jelly might have soared.
The initial reaction from the politically homeless was enthusiastic - WOTE slotted right in with the mood for a "none of the above" revolution - but it quickly stalled when everyone paused and said "hang on - this is far too sensible an idea - it won't be allowed to happen".
And the Electoral Commission sandbagged it at every application anyway. We realised "version one" was going to be a sighting shot to test ideas, so I have now adjusted the aiming point based on feedback and discussion.
We are also aware that almost everyone reads the name as WOKE (arrgh!) so we may deal with that, too.
None of the above
As the belief in a hung parliament after the General Election grows, we don't need to target all 650 seats - we probably only need 10-20 - with an attainable starter fund of £2-3m - to create a big enough disturbance in the political force to get everyone talking and thinking.
With well-chosen target seats, the voters can be deeply (personally) courted and made to feel special at the heart of an earnest, intense and pervasive local campaign with big name personalities, and they can be made to feel privileged that they can make the sort of difference that most voters never can - leading a national movement to impose The Will Of The Electorate on the worn out ideas of dogma-driven party politics that have badly let us all down.
10-15 seats with the persistent provenance of the endorsement of real voters - not spin doctors or the usual "uniparty political hacks" - can be a strategic nuisance in the next parliament - which could easily be delicately balanced with no overall majority.
WOTE can be an oasis of dynamic and interesting ideas in the arid landscape of failed British politics...
.... curating and presenting the best ideas and contributions from all directions.
The whole nation and media will be trained to look to WOTE MPs for the democratic "casting vote" on key issues - and smart use of modern media will ensure it punches well above its weight.
The voters of abandoned, marginalized, and overlooked constituencies can be shown how they can make a difference in the brief time left - if we can hustle some despairing Tory backers for £2-£3m to support our federation of independent candidates. It will require the help of political strategists to navigate electoral and constitutional law. But where there's the will - of the people - we really should try and find the way to do it.
This modest war chest would also pay for a quality documentary TV producer (like Martin Durkin) to do a round-up of political stories where narrow votes have made a difference and forced governments to do deals over a handful of casting votes. (remember Northern Ireland and Theresa May?)
It should resonate in constituencies where the voters feel abandoned - like Clacton or Camborne. And also evoke the spirit of The Mouse that Roared - a wonderful 60s film with Peter Sellers playing multiple parts, including the hereditary feudal head of the Grand Duchy of Fenwick. https://youtu.be/VfD_LTad1hE
This may well be the last chance to seed a proper people's revolution - since the next government will likely be a minority shambles with a ragbag of the usual uniparty failures - still not getting on with the job of fixing potholes.
Blair's 1997 "New Labour" regime unashamedly opened the borders and declared that it would rub the noses of the right in diversity This resulted in gerrymandering that has changed the nature of many constituencies of Britain, and there is a promise of more social engineering to favour left-wing ambitions with a promise of votes for 16-year-olds.
10-20 seats that reflected (and tracked) the wishes of the electorate would be an influential nuisance and should be a bellwether for British Politics that others would ignore at their peril.
Would current MPs who have thrown in the towel be willing to "upgrade" to WOTE before the election? Let's see.
Since WOTE will poll continuously and respond to the wishes of the electors, it can be relied on for a democratic POV on any issues.
A better way forward
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Do you know a Hero? Someone who has a proven record of delivery, someone who could transform the performance of our government? If so, please nominate them for one of the 650 seats in the next parliament. Send us a resume of their achievements and where you think their skills could be best used in government. We will then contact the best nominations to see if they are willing to serve as independent members. There are 650 parliamentary seats, and we will select up to 30 to contest, so we can concentrate firepower. These Heroes will stand at the next parliamentary elections on a unique and important platform. Competence! They will all stand on a manifesto of NO POLITICAL CHANGE, but will promise to just fix the stuff that traditional politicians never get around to doing. * Match the number of people skilled to do essential jobs * Fix the potholes .... and all the other stuff that every citizen needs our government to deliver Our Heroes will have a proven record of delivery in any field, be that in logistics, medicine, education, business, building, defence, law enforcement, the arts, or other sector. They will be engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, artisans, managers who have visibly contributed to the well-being of UK society, simply through their competence. Politicians, lawyers and accountants need not apply. They have each had ample opportunity to deliver, but have failed, or have been the cause of failure. Moreover, these professions are those that have been replaced in the first waves of the introduction of artificial intelligence. |
Our Heroes will have a proven record of delivery in any field, be that in logistics, medicine, education, business, building, defence, law enforcement, the arts, or other sector. They will be engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, artists, artisans, managers who have visibly contributed to the well-being of UK society, simply through their competence. Politicians, lawyers and accountants need not apply. They have each had ample opportunity to deliver, but have failed, or have been the cause of failure. Help identify the heroes, and nominate yours here...
Peter Dawe - Pioneering Internet service entrepreneur in the 1990s; currently farming in Norfolk, and reinventing government without tribal politics
Why don’t we trust Westminster?
When something has gone wrong, The Will of the Electorate will investigate to identify the PEOPLE who were responsible and ensure these PEOPLE are punished and that they have not gained from their actions. It is only when PEOPLE know they have RESPONSIBILITY that they will act well, rather than in the short-term interests of their organisation. See full blog post
There are near daily reports of poor outcomes from the actions and inactions of the Westminster "elites". The play-book goes something like this.
- Non-acknowledgement – Westminster totally ignores the issue and carries on regardless, in the expectation that the clamour will exhaust itself.
- There is nothing wrong – Westminster blatantly declares that there is nothing wrong. It is a feature of the “System”, which otherwise works.
- The issue is a rare failure, whereas the system is otherwise fine.
- Refer the issue to a third party – It is not a Westminster problem it is a problem for:-
- The company or organisation
- Another branch or government
- The regulator
- The courts
- The ECHR or other international treaty
- Appoint a “Senior Civil Servant” to look into it,
- The report is never finished
- The report is delayed by years or even decades
- The report is never published
- The report is published but otherwise obscured
- The report fails to identify any culpability
- The report recommends actions that impact on good actors, but can and are ignored by the bad actors
- Set up a “Regulator”, who provides a “barrier” between the public, the sector and the government.
- Populate the “Regulator” with people from the sector, and provide a “revolving-door” between the regulator and the sector to ensure the regulator puts the interests of the sector above the interests of the public.
- NEVER refer any issue to the police
- NEVER prosecute anyone in Westminster
- NEVER ban a person from holding a similar office
- Reward failure with “quiet resignation” with topped up pension and “gold handshakes”
- In extreme cases, Westminster will falsify evidence and flat-out lie to the investigation. Knowing if they get found out they will not face punishment, as they have “protected the establishment”
Example: the Grenfell Tower tragedy.
The Grenfell Tower Inquiry, which was set up to investigate the 2017 fire that killed 72 people, has cost over £170 million to date. This includes the cost of legal fees, expert witness fees, and other expenses. The inquiry is expected to conclude in 2024, and the total cost is likely to exceed £200 million.
But there are four obvious bad decisions. Why10 years of investigation if not to fill the legal trough?
- The civil servant who signed off the cladding as safe
- The company who manufactured the cladding claiming it was safe
- The Fire service instruction to keep people in a blazing building
- Fire officer who failed to see when this instruction should have been ignored.
- WOTE would (and will) deal with each of these bad decisions rapidly.
- The civil servant would have been dismissed, and banned from similar work
Additional investigation might discover collusion with the industry, in which case criminal proceedings would be brought
- The directors of the company would be banned. And any company employing them would be banned from supplying the UK with materials.
- The PEOPLE responsible for the “Keep people in” instruction should be removed
- The Fire Officer who failed to show judgement should be demoted.
WOTE would (and will) deal with each of these bad decisions rapidly.
- The civil servant would have been dismissed, and banned from similar work
Additional investigation might discover collusion with the industry, in which case criminal proceedings would be brought
- The directors of the company would be banned. And any company employing them would be banned from supplying the UK with materials.
- The PEOPLE responsible for the “Keep people in” instruction should be removed
- The Fire Officer who failed to show judgement should be demoted, at least.
- It is vital that all involved in delivering WOTE need to understand that responsibility and accountability is firmly back on the Westminster agenda.
- The absence of dogmatic party politics will reduce the options for creating corrupt "chumocracies"
The genesis of the “Will Of The Electorate Party” (WOTE)
Will Of The Electorate (WOTE) founder Peter Dawe - having been instrumental in deploying a number of society changing innovations - thought that with the ever growing list and scale of the problems of the world, he should stop fixing stuff, as his contribution was a drop in the ocean.
Unfortunately, the problems of the world have got so bad, that stepping away has turned out not to be a relief, but an increase in stress due to the feeling of powerlessness.
Things came to a head, in early 2023 when Mrs Dawe also experienced a number of issues due to the failure of our government systems, including “regulators”. She said to Peter in frustration, “Can you do something about this?”. Peter said “I can try, but it may have significant impact on our life-style.”
Thus he started to muse on how to fix the government of the UK. And to do it on a shoe-string budget and to do it in less than 2 years. (I was already 68 after-all!)
Having stood for local, parliamentary and then as an Independent candidate for the Cambridgeshire’s elected mayor. Peter understands the challenges of the UK’s electoral system. In particular, the party system and how the media that conspires to ignore non-party candidates, make it almost impossible to stand as an independent candidate.
From experience working with various government departments and agencies, Peter is also aware that individual MPs have very little power, even when they are ministers. (This was even worse when the UK was part of the EU, as ministers would blame the EU for their impotence).
Now the UK is no longer part of the EU, and is without a full written constitution, once a party has a majority in Parliament, it can do anything! It may have to cede from some international treaties, or at least seek derogations or patience for some actions, but this is again fully in the power of the UK government.
Another significant factor was the widely expressed dissatisfaction with the UK’s political elite. While the Conservatives have effectively alienated the public with many acts of sheer stupidity, nor is there any obvious appetite for a policy-free Labour government, lead by Sir Kier Starmer and Angela Rayner. The LibDems continue to be a bit player - famous for their local election canvassing prowess, but little else; with no prospect of being any better than the other two. The Greens are also ineffectual, having abandoned their Green crusade for what seems like a socialist agenda identical to the Labour Party. And as for the SNP - which is can still be "the balance of power broker" for the whole UK at Westminster... well, you couldn't make it up, could you?
Most new political parties in the UK have been formed by a group of politicians splitting off from an existing one. These have typically had very short lives. The exception was The Brexit Party, which as a single issue party was able to shift the political agenda, even without ever gaining a single parliamentary seat. (The Reform Party, formed by the same people, has failed to gain significant support, possibly because of their legacy of being seen as part of the disgraced political elite.)
Finally, I looked at the major changes in government in Europe. France and Italy in particular, threw out their legacy parties to elect a new broom. Sadly in each case, the new brooms were “politicians”, identical to the old ones, but with less experience! Replacing politicians with politicians doesn’t work!
Inspiration! Not only design a new political party, but also design a change in how democracy works!
Over various discussions and consultations, we formulated a number of innovations.
- Keep the promises for your first government modest, do not get sucked in to political dogma
- We ask the electorate what they want the government to do, rather than telling the electorate what the government will do,
- Acknowledge that those with an interest in maintaining the status quo, in particular politicians, lawyers, economists and accountants, are the enemy. Even when they say they are in favour of your ideas. (They lie!)
- Choose your battleground.
So after a few months, the principle for the new party was refined to:-
Provide effective government that delivers the services that the electorate wants, effectively and efficiently within the resources available.
Market Testing
Before one puts serious resources into an activity, it is always best to test market the ideas. This was done by face-to-face discussions with anyone and everyone one meets. Each of the reasons for doing the new party were tested, and for the most part virtually everyone agreed with the analysis that our political elite were not fit for purpose. They also liked the ideas of having service delivery at the front of the priorities. The radical change, from government telling the electorate to the electorate telling the government, was not taken on so readily. While people liked the idea “in principle”, this change, we think, was unfamiliar, and indeed their experience of “consultation” poisoned by how government has done it in the past.
The other thing was their belief that fixing government could only be done by more money. The idea that the current systems were very inefficient wasn’t a problem, it was the belief that politicians could not change that system.
The market testing also demonstrated the reluctance of nearly everyone to put effort into changing the system, or indeed being part of the system. The level of defeat, apathy, and “too busy” was a surprise. Even the retired declared themselves “too busy”!
We do not underestimate the challenge ahead - but we are confident that the appetite for change has rarely been stronger.
WOTE founders made the UK and European internet happen in the 1980s - we will make WOTE happen
This testimonial piece was researched and written by the AI engine at Google BARD - and presented on this AI website creation platform from durable.co. AI can now replace many pen pushers and keyboard tappers to save money and provide better service.
Coping with the AI challenge will be very much in focus at the time of the next General Election, and barely any of the present mostly techno illiterate occupants of Westminster barely have a clue what it means. They are too easily bamboozled by "advisers" and vested interests. Remember the wasted Covid billions...
Peter Dawe played a key role in founding the commercial internet in the UK and Europe. In 1986, he founded Unipalm, a company that provided networking services to businesses.
In 1988, Unipalm launched Pipex, (Public IP Exhange) the UK's first commercial internet service provider (ISP). Pipex quickly became one of the most popular ISPs in the UK, and it helped to introduce the internet to businesses and consumers across the country. Dawe was also a co-founder of the Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA), which is a trade association for ISPs in the UK.
The ISPA has played a major role in promoting the growth of the internet in the UK, and it has also helped to protect the interests of consumers and businesses. In 1995, Dawe founded the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), a non-profit organization that combats child sexual abuse content on the internet. The IWF is the UK's leading authority on child sexual abuse content, and it works with ISPs, law enforcement agencies, and other organizations to remove this content from the internet.
Dawe has been awarded numerous accolades for his work in the internet industry, including an OBE from the Queen in 2001. He is a true pioneer of the internet, and his work has had a major impact on the way we live and work today. Dawe founded Unipalm, the UK's first commercial internet service provider (ISP). He co-founded the Internet Service Providers' Association (ISPA), a trade association for ISPs in the UK.
He founded the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), a non-profit organization that combats child sexual abuse content on the internet. Dawe helped to promote the growth of the internet in the UK and Europe - he helped to protect the interests of consumers and businesses on the internet. Dawe's work has had a major impact on the way we live and work today. The internet has become an essential part of our lives, and it is hard to imagine a world without it. Dawe's work helped to make the internet a reality, and he is a true pioneer of this technology.
The (draft) Constitution of “The Will of the Electorate Party”
Executive summary:
Sine Qua Non: Do no evil - and really mean it.
Use a (very) secure app to hold regular referendum-like votes on key issues.
Do what the electorate ask for.
Restore faith in democratic government.
Make it happen!
The prospectus:
For starters, let's just complete everything worthwhile that has already been promised - and that we already voted for in the last 15 years.
And let's have a referendum on HS2 options before it costs another £100bn
eMail us at [email protected] - or via the form below....
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