Democracy in UK Now Seriously Under Threat


Photograph © Andrew Dunn, 5 May 2005. Website:


With the contents of this year’s Queens Speech now in the public domain we have the evidence of the further serious erosion of democracy by government. We have known for a while that David Cameron has a personal agenda to eradicate all obstructions to his pursuit of a fracking bonanza that will lay two thirds of this country open to exploration.

As if this wasn’t enough he is now ignoring the desires of 74% of the public who do not want the current Trespass Laws changed to allow chemicals to be pumped under their property without their consent. It has always been said that “An Englishman’s Home is His Castle”, identifying our feelings of security in shutting our front door behind us when we return home and thus being inviolate to the world at large.

Now Parliament, with little dissent, seems intent upon using its power to push through critical abuses of our rights as human beings to live our lives as we choose. That is defying the core of the democratic process. We decided and the elected carry it out. Sadly we are in an era of “career” politicians, where the elected are convinced they know better and are shaping a state of their choosing.

If ‘their choosing’ benefits the majority then I can see nothing wrong but sadly the continued alienation of the people from the political process is the only result of current political practice. There is no visionary leadership but rather a determination to hold on to and wield power.

We have seen our social services collapse before our eyes as successive governments have placed the needs of business before the needs of the people. We are told that business must be free to do whatever it deems necessary to create jobs but jobs are not forthcoming, only an increasing divide between rich and poor.

The banking collapse was the greatest betrayal of the electorate by government as taxpayer money was used like a sponge to soak up the bad debts of unregulated banking practice. The most glaring evidence that business must not be free to do what it likes, but carefully controlled to resist the lure of easy profits from dubious business practice at the expense of the people.

People are becoming overwhelmed by the plethora of abuses coming out of government, from the expenses scandals, to corporate lobbying that nullifies the democratic process and surveillance that strikes at the very heart of our privacy, all of which the taxpayer must pay for.

All that is left now to reassert democracy is the internet and the power of social media to enable us to speak freely and directly with each other. The mushrooming across the globe of people driven campaigning sites such as 38 Degrees, Avaaz and many others is having an impact upon both business and politics as people react to current abuses.

Most notable was the clipping of Rupert Murdoch’s wings when he and parliament believed his takeover of BSkyB was a forgone conclusion and people demanded he be stopped . . . and in no uncertain terms he was stopped! Time and again people power has asserted itself to the extent that governments are now troubled by this supposed interference to ‘party line and policy’. But this is the very essence of how people reassert a true democratic environment and fight back against current lack of transparency and political skulduggery.

Whether it is fracking, EU membership, healthcare, student debt or the myriad of other abuses perpetrated in the interest of business or political expediency people now have the tools to effectively fight back, as well as the ballot box. On the latter it would be good for the political establishment if only minority parties were put in power from next year’s elections, as a mark of national discontent at the ‘3 party system’ that is now crippling this country.

The country would not fall into chaos because the Civil Service runs the administration of our services, politicians simply point them in a political direction. Certainly a vote of discontent of this size would provide a severe and necessary wake up call to the political establishment, destroying the arrogance and contempt that currently prevails towards the electorate and sounding a warning that people have had enough of the abuse from the current political system.

Another election would be quickly called and new manifestos drawn up which more closely align to what people are calling for, and not political interpretation of what they think people want. All of a sudden there would be a new respect for voters and the power they are able to assert. It would be good for people as well, to see their actions causing tremors in Whitehall in a manner never before achieved.

The means to do all of this exists now, it just needs for people to want to do it . . . it really is that simple! I would like to see a start now with something we can win which is the curtailment of current government fracking activity across the country. It will destroy our countryside and could poison our farmlands forever with chemicals the industry is loath to disclose. How exhilarating to win and then turn to the next subject as we build a message for the 2015 elections.

Until the next time

If you would like to support my petition to seriously reduce government sponsored fracking in this country follow this link: