I do not support the idea that political parties should receive state funding paid for by taxpayers. The closest we get to that is the grant paid to the Opposition in Parliament to allow it to hire support staff, and growing budgets for so called Special Advisers to Ministers.
I think it right that political parties raise money from people who support them. I also think it right we disallow foreign companies and non residents from making donations.
It is true that funding parties still poses difficult questions. If a Trade Union gives a large donation to Labour or its MPs because it likes the partyâs general support for Unions, that passes the test as an acceptable contribution. If a Union gives money whilst telling a Labour Minister they must accept a high pay demand from that Union or must amend Employment law in a way they want, that is cash for policy.
It is the same for Conservatives who have tended to get more donations from successful entrepreneurs. It is fine if they donate because they agree with a lower tax and less regulation agenda which Conservatives are meant to believe in. It would be wrong if the donor wanted specific tax or policy  changes for their money.
The present government is backed by a majority of MPs who have received financial assistance from Unions. It inherits a public sector which is heavily unionised, has just collapsed productivity and is pressing for large inflationary increases. MP s and Ministers need to tread carefully not to give a bad impression.
I think the main parties are allowed to spend too much on national campaigns, and Ministers have too many special Advisers. The system would work better if less money was wasted on these budgets.
August 23, 2024
Your submission is acceptable when everyone plays by the rules, whatever they may be. Cricket only works within the laws of the game. My sense is that the laws of political donation are too loosely defined. There being no such thing as a free lunch. However I cannot think of an alternative that is better. Providing it is written in stone that donors contribute to the furthering of a philosophy, but not to the payment for specifics, that is about as far as we can go. At times the hard part will be to rule on the border between philosophy and specifics. Democracy and man and the rules by which they exist are necessarily fluid as both evolve, so it would be naive to expect perfection. As I think Winston once said of Democracy, the alternatives are far worse.
August 23, 2024
+++
But in the case of our democracyâŠ
(And I donât think the original form included everyoneâs voice)
It was crafted and handed to us by those in control. To save their heads.
And look where it has landed us!
August 23, 2024
Everhopeful.
The availability of accurate information has increased tenfold in as many years. Democracy can no longer be left in the hands of MPs. MPs will not like it but we are in need of periodic referendums on major topics. That way such as HS2, Nett Zero, Energy Policy, adherence to ECHJ rulings, would all get majority support or otherwise from the UK electorate. That enhances democracy. The electorate are the major lobby. If treated with contempt, as did the last government, or are being treated with contempt by the current government, then the demand for referendums will surface. Yet again it must be emphasised that UK government needs to govern for the whole population not just those that finance it.
August 23, 2024
Agree 100%.
Direct democracy?
I thought previously that referenda were expensive and complex.
âNeverendaâ ( Excuse defunct plural but âumsâ sounds so clumsy)
But now they seem about the best way to go.
Actually Iâm not sure how our âtwo partyâ system could have ended in anything other than the present disaster.
August 23, 2024
Agreed…
Could easily and cheaply be added on the back of the local council elections.
August 23, 2024
Well said agric.
August 23, 2024
Agree – MPs still haven’t realised that we now know just how bad they are and all see all their little tricks
August 23, 2024
Sir John, most observers see the financial support for political Parties for what it actually is. Cash for favours.
The tradition goes back a long way;
Ye are a factious crew and enemies of all good government, ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.
Is there a single virtue now remaining among you, is there one vice you do not posses……be gone from this place.
April 20 1663 Cromwell dissolution/closing Parliament.
August 23, 2024
+++
Trouble isâŠhe was a zealot.
= no theatre, no fun, no mince pies!
We have quite enough zealotry at the moment
Letâs settle for normal honesty.
August 23, 2024
Plus ça change, plus c’est la mĂȘme chose.
August 23, 2024
Since you quote the Bible and by way of hope, we also have the benevolent political leader, the great King Cyrus, first Emperor of the Persian Empire. Although a pagan (Zorastrian fire-eater like Freddy Mercury ..) he is described as ‘annointed’ or holy – by both Jews and Christians. And Alexander the Great was obsessed by Cyrus – he thought Cyrus was z brilliant and model political leader (whose leadership skills and inspiration can be transfered to any age).
The great Cyrus the Great (there should be a big statue to him outside The Houses of Parliament, alongside Churchill).
August 23, 2024
Sorry, meant Cyrus is mentioned as anointed (meaning holy) in the Old Testament (and even though a pagan).
August 23, 2024
The main problem is people paying âto subvert democracyâ not for it. Also paying for endless propaganda so as to subvert the voting and paying MPs so called âconsultancyâ fees or more likely âbribesâ in reality. State sector Unions paying to buy pay rises for members, the renewables industry to buy subsidies for nonsense energy scheme, companies buying construction contracts for rail, roads, buildings, hospitals⊠people buying honours, big Pharma funding the vaccine regulators so as to be allowed to push net harm and ineffective vaccines to people who never even needed them (even had they been remotely safe and effective). The vaccines Sunak assured us and the House (against all the overwhelming data) were unequivocally safe. Has he corrected the record yet? Will he ever do so? Revolving doors for people between government and big pharma. Van Tam, Patrick Vallance, MHRAâŠ
Funding of the MHRA who pushed dangerous new tech Covid Vaccines even at children and people who had already had Covid who clearly had not need of them.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/freedom-of-information-responses-from-the-mhra-week-commencing-23-may-2022/freedom-of-information-request-on-funding-and-contributions-from-pharmaceutical-companies-foi-22702
Why might this not just be a âslightâ conflict of interest?
August 23, 2024
Paying to subvert democracy is the reason we are so appallingly governed and have been all my life. This and the endless lies and propaganda from people like the BBC, government, certain charities and foundations, most quangos, academia, many international organisations, the WHO, much of social mediaâŠ
A prestigious US university (MIT) has recorded a sharp fall in admissions from certain minorities following a Supreme Court decision to end âaffirmative actionâ. Affirmative action is of course just another phrase for pure discrimination & blatamt racism. Ending up with the wrong people in the wrong positions and jobs often with rather dangerous consequences. They still do it in the UK of cource for things like police recruitment, at the BBC, many government departments, non executive directors, RAF pilotsâŠ
August 23, 2024
@Lifelogic – indeed the UK Parliament has made the UK a World Leader in discrimination. The most neutral country in the World has become the partisan, vindictive and discriminating in under a couple of generations and it all comes from the top, the UK Government, Parliament and its MPs. World leaders in corruption and they haven’t finished yet
August 23, 2024
Lifelogic, not just recruitment but selection processes going right up the food chain. All our health, public services, councils, quangos, emergency services were indoctrinated with this culture and inspected to ensure compliance. Rare to see white working class Englishmen anywhere as they are now the discriminated people. ESG/DEI/non Equality Laws etc have all played their part and the Conservatives left it unchallenged for 14 years, in fact added to the problem of a non meritocracy. We see it everywhere on the msm now and wonder why nothing works or pretends to woke from home, pun intended………………well read the above and weep.
August 23, 2024
I can remember being told, by a board member, not to even apply for a the ceo position in a sector confederation, during the Blair era, as they only wanted a female to show inclusivity/equal-opportunities âŠ.things havenât changed, its no longer about merit
August 23, 2024
Indeed Ian and Timeaction
“The British are Second Class Citizens in their own Country: David Starkey”
David Starkey Talks
August 23, 2024
At what point does all this fall into the category of bribery and kickbacks? Does the law on bribery need to be extended to cover political parties, politicians and those who seek to influence them?
August 23, 2024
It is nearly all puts bribery and corruption. All the politicians have to do is declare their âinterestsâ and party donations. Then the bribery, corruption or âinfluenceâ is just fine it seems.
Look at the perfectly legally declared interests of say Lord Debden (Selwyn Gummer) for example or Sir Patrick Valance.
August 24, 2024
When it comes to corruption, the House of Frauds serves one useful purpose … by corralling them together so we can’t fail to see the blatant abuse of power.
August 23, 2024
Equivocating over different types of corruption won’t improve our democratic environment one jot. Banning conditions attached to a donation while pretending coercion after the donation doesn’t exist is a waste of time, money and energy while being of no benefit to the taxpayer. It is an illusion of democracy.
We need radical changes to protect the citizens from rogue elements in the process.
I suggest a clearly codified bill of rights that reestablishes clear freedoms and also places clear restrictions on the state. As important would the introduction of direct democracy along Swiss lines to preserve those rights and keep the administrators and politicians more honest.
August 23, 2024
+1 Dixie. More Swiss-style democracy.
Also, abandon FTP because marginal winner-takes-all encourages big donors, amongst other reasons. And no public funding: the BBC is given the public’s money via a mandatory tax called the licence fee, and look where that has got us.
August 23, 2024
I wonder how hard it would be to add referenda to the current process which already includes interations with the Lords and we had the 2016 referendum, so it can’t be beyond the whit of the “superior” intellects in government to design and implement simple extensions to incorporate citizen approval.
Perhaps test things out, including alternatives to FPTP, at the local level first, find out what works before trying to wheel something out at national level. That said, the Swiss have been trialling their system for 170+ years.
This won’t happen though because the existing parties and government would lose power.
August 23, 2024
Direct democracy is the only real democracy. A vote every five years under FPTP for someone who lies before elections then does the complete reverse – Blair, Brown, Cameron, May, Boris, Sunak, Starmer is virtually worthless. Read the last seven manifestos of liesâŠ
August 23, 2024
Alas, a good direct democracy scheme was explained to and rejected by prime minister Hacker when he met Professor Marriott. It was not so much that the people would be empowered, more that party discipline would wither, so frustrating the leadership’s plans, that was at the root of the objection.
(Note the whole “Yes Minister” series and sequel dealt with all the main issues that have afficted our politics in the modern era.)
August 23, 2024
@dixie – The State should always be open to pressure from the People, not the People under pressure from the State. As it is we have a Parliament that is so much in fear of the People they are fighting them
August 23, 2024
I think we have a government and Parliament that is so much in fear of certain sections of the population and other “influencers” that it is trying to instill fear in the law abiding majority to keep us in check.
It seems to me the antics of Starmers gang before and after the election make the whole thing a tragicomedy and have made plain just how crap and malevolent our previous governments have been towards us.
Even if this is just a case of them cynically trying to get the bad stuff out of the way at the beginning before they turn into fluffy beacons of “progressive” sweetness and light later on first impressions and first actions are what count.
And I for one will never forget.
August 23, 2024
+ 1
The Establishment is terrified of reaping what it has so undemocratically sowed.
August 23, 2024
D, W, To go the Swiss way one might first suggest a few steps: a written constitution (see fedlex.admin.ch), a federal structure between regions and possibly a multilingual, multi-religious state (see Title 2, art.7 to 36). Then possibly one might read Chapters 2 (Citizenship and Political Rights) and 3 (Social objectives).
Then ask yourself: is the UK in a state to go the Swiss way?
August 23, 2024
Looking at the English translation their constitution is a very accessible document and does not at first sight require interpretation by lawyers, there is much to applaud within it .. I’ve read through Titles 1 and 2, now starting on Title 3 which covers the Federal aspects.
Do Swiss politicians swear to defend their constitution?
I am not convinced we need a set of regions to start the process could trial referenda and things at county level first anyway. I am deeply suspicious of regionalisation as the exercise of that to-date (devolution) has caused nothing but trouble for England which is not even represented in Parliament and attracts nothing but hate speech from the Scots and Welsh (praise be to Blair).
Is the UK ready to go this way? I don’t believe the current crop of politicians, Lords or civil servants would accept anything like this anyway as it requires them to pass power to the citizenry which would entail them working to justify their decisions and policies.
We have to change though as the rogue nature of our governments and institutions and their hatred for the plebs become clearer by the day.
August 23, 2024
The Establishment is never going to allow another referendum after being so heavily defeated over Europe.
Changing the voting age to just 16 should really be considered a constitutional change requiring a referendum because it will make it almost impossible for anyone other than Labour to win a GE.
August 23, 2024
I take your point about the establishment and agree but I am not convinced things will continue as before. Perhaps the Tories believe they just have to promise they will listen and wait for people to get cheesed off with Labour to get back into power. I don’t think this will happen as that group of politicians and party burned the bridges with their betrayal of Brexit. Actual history will devalue any promises they offer and we know just how much we can trust manifestos.
I also don’t think Reform will be the white knight, they are just offering more of the same – politicians climbing the greasy pole. They are not acting like a serious party of potential government, have no achievements or even grassroots organisation to point to and the latest antics offer no confidence in their belief in democracy.
We need a change of tack and I wonder if a group offering a more tangibly democratic approach would get a lot more traction – they couldn’t be worse than the Reform option.
August 23, 2024
would you care to suggest just where and from whose ranks this Party might arise?
Phoenix rising? – God I truly hope not.
August 24, 2024
@MT – Good question for which I don’t have an immediate answer although I would not look to any established party or politicians – definitely no “phoenix rising” as the evolved political environment has bred the wrong attitudes and priorities completely.
I have come to the view that direct democracy is our only sustainable and fair basis but not thought through all the rest – i have no experience in building democracies, just complex systems.
If pressed, I would look to individuals who have a strong background in productive industry,commerce and active services, a track record in team working and operational excellence.
August 23, 2024
I agree. But where does corruption begin and where does it end?!
What about the legal system (look at Charles Dickens and Dombey and Son ..). On the other hand, thankfully our judicial system also stops us from falling into a Banana Republic ..
Which is why we need to return to Christian Conservatism (Work Ethic / values of Quakers, Edmund Burke, Family Values, Relying on Family instead of State, Men being men and women women, Patriotism, Healthy Competition, love of Sport, Arts, and Heroic values of the classical era, supporting the Military and National Service and so on) and Tories trying to promote this into the media, education system, arts and working closely with the churches to do so.
August 24, 2024
I suspect we are not a Banana Republic only because we have no more natural resources to export, not that our governments have stopped trying. There is no protection from the judicial system – if you have never experienced the tender mercies of insolvency practitioners (they are officers of the court) I do not recommend it as any faith in the legal/justice system would be immediately destroyed.
So what is left? perhaps focus on reinvigorating the values, customs and practices of Western civilization (which may or may not involve personal faiths and beliefs). That is what is being attacked by progressives and useful idiots.
The question is for who’s benefit these groups are trying to dismantle our civilization and societies? – Cui Bono?
… I can think of three candidates.
August 24, 2024
I’m not trying to proselytise belief in God but belief in the importance of Judaeo-Christian values and the best of our Ancient Greek and Roman values (many of which overlap with Christian ones).
Lots of atheists who are cultural Christians agree with me. That our whole political and social and cultural system (whatever you call it) will collapse without these vital Judaeo-Christian / best of the Greco-Roman values – and thrives when the country embraces them.
So Conservatism is far more – or should be far more – than just just something political (vital as that is of course) but must embrace cultural values in general too. And now as political Conservatism is in the doldrums, we don’t have a choice now at all but to embrace the cultural arguments by more influential Tories engaging with people in the churches, media, the arts and education about how to promote traditional Tory values (that overlap with Judaeo-Christian and the best of Greco-Roman ones).
August 23, 2024
Too late Labour hired a donor and move activists in top civet servant posts!
August 23, 2024
The taxpayer does finance the Labour party, it’s called ‘check off’ which by the way Cameron wanted to abolish but ‘bottled it’ under threats from the union movement. In effect the Tories have allowed the unions to take money directly from state employees pay packet, pass that over to scum Labour who then come to power and destroy this country
Labour declared war against the UK in 1997 when Blair promised to smash our noses in diversity but the real cancer is the poisonous, treacherous, deceitful Tories who helped Blair and the unions because they couldn’t be arsed to oppose it. Cheering on the chaps at Twickers or debating at the Oxford Union is far more important than protecting the future of our country
August 23, 2024
The taxpayer does finance the Labour party and the Conservative one and both sell honours.
Done via the unions, renewable subsidy kick backs, big business donations for tax breaks or government contracts, vaccine approvals, regulatory changesâŠ
August 23, 2024
The whole thing is riddled with corruption. (Angela Rayner?) is effectively in control of this government as she is unsackable because the members chose her.
2TK is just a puppet beings led by his Chief of Staff and will be ditched soon enough.
14 years of tory incompetence has got us to this point with nothing positive being achieved.
Let’s hope Trump wins to make life as difficult as possible for liebour and the EU.
August 23, 2024
+++
Good point re Trump. A thorn in the flesh. Fingers crossed!
Our politics is a Gordon Knot.
Tightly tied and totally insoluble.
And Alexanderâs solution far too uncertain.
August 23, 2024
Indeed it is vital Trump wins, just free speech and the fact that he is a climate realist are surely sufficient reasons. Anyway Kamala Harris is truly dire.
August 23, 2024
I W
Trump needs our prayers on a daily basis. He has already miraculously survived one assassination attempt. Should Harris be elected it will be a tragedy for the US.
Strange how quickly the media has forgotten!
August 23, 2024
For the American people I wish Trump well but I don’t know what it would mean for the rest of us.. I think Harris would be a disaster for everyone
August 23, 2024
I second your last remark Ian. I take nothing to do with so-called diversity, I just ignore anybody I want nothing do do with!
August 23, 2024
He who pays the piper, calls the tune.
Both of the two main parties are corrupted by their main sources of income. The Not-a-Conservative-Party dances to the tune of Global Corporations and Big Business. Labour dances to the tune of the Unions.
The law should be changed to force political parties to raise at least 50% of their income from party members in the form of membership fees/small donations, max ÂŁ500 pa each. So they could only accept a donation of ÂŁ1 million pa from Sir Money-Bags or X-Union if they have first raised ÂŁ1 million from individual members/small donations.
That would make them focus more on “the little people” and would also stop them spending so much on political propaganda.
reply large public companies are international and do not give money to the Conservatives
August 23, 2024
R to R
But many ex MP’s seemingly walk into big well paid jobs when they retire or are outed by their fed up electorate.
Reply Most do not. No one offered me a well paid job when I announced I would not stand again.
August 23, 2024
But Sir John, you and a few others are the exception as you are totally honest! That is not the way of many ! A lot are proven liars!
August 23, 2024
+1, they’re the incorruptible …..not many left
August 23, 2024
reply to reply….well we doubt you were anxious about the future income. Unlike many dozens of assistant staff to MPs thrown into insecurity by Sunak’s mistaken call for a GE.
August 23, 2024
Donna , As usual you make sensible and realistic replies ; donations expect and receive positive responses .
Bert .
August 23, 2024
There is more than one way for Global Corporations to “reward” Parties/Politicians who deliver the policies they want.
August 23, 2024
Politicians should be jailed for 10 years if they implement a costly policy, greater than ÂŁ100 million, that is either not in the manifesto or is not an unforeseen necessity.
August 23, 2024
In the UK we pat ourselves on the back that we have a level of democracy. In reality a small bunch of establishment figures are guided in the selection of candidates for a Party machine that it is hoped will win a majority in the H of C. Those who fall out of favour later might be moved to the H of L, where further control can be made over Bills. Other Lords will be a ‘gift’ as a result of a gift. These MPs are expected to support the elected leader so that policy to do, or not to do, can be visited on the weak and vulnerable electorate.
In most parts of executed policy the dim electorate does not get what it was sold.
We call that Democracy!
August 23, 2024
Most working people were happy with the illusion of democracy so long as they had a decent job, could buy a house, raise a family, have access to schools, doctors and hospitals, and the odd holiday, freedom to travel, cheapâish energy & fuel, lowâish taxes all within the traditional setting of british culture & tradition âŠ.but thatâs all gone
With high taxes, high bills, high immigration, two-tier policing, erosion of freedoms WE NOW QUESTION DEMOCRACY
August 23, 2024
glen…I would agree that most people were content when standards generally improved in the areas you mention. However, I doubt that they considered the outcome had anything to do with the laughable term democracy.
Now that the several years experience with various PMs has seen a lowering of perhaps all the areas you mentioned, they might question ( and did?) just where does our ‘democracy’ deal with their expectations for improved standards of living.
August 23, 2024
You’re spot on Mickey
August 23, 2024
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
I have no doubt the system is corrupt or more accurately corruoted at times both for party and individual donations/freebies.
Access to Ministers, jobs on quangos, honours in the name of public service ( a bribe?) a recent donation (example removed Ed)from a company looking for support for a planning permission in the constituency. Employment of spouses, family members etc
No doubt Labour dancing to the unions tune as could be said of the Tories and big business back in the day.
All political donations should be out in one pot and dispersed pro rata/anonymously etc.
Big ticket private companies long ago restricted the size of freebies to their employees. MPs have their snouts well and truly in the trough. Stopping this and personal donations would be the first step to cleaning the âswampâ
Ha some chance.
August 23, 2024
Agree that Labour need less special advisors now that they are appointing their supporters and donors directly into the civil service. Also agree that foreign funding of political parties should continue to be banned but I also think dual nationals should be prevented from being MP at all never mind running to be leader of the Conservative Party and hence in the far distant future a possible Prime Minister.
August 23, 2024
The simple thing is to allow donations ONLY from individuals. Not tax refundable. That would achieve some of important things:
1. The party machines would be cut to the bone.
2. The election campaigns are conducted by volunteers anyway, and the funding raised should be by supporters.
3. Each party would have a daily reminder, from fluctuating donations, as to their likely vote informed by the policies they are enacting.
4. It would cut the unions and corporations out of the mix and cleanse Parliament, because there could be no patronage.
5. MPs must be banned from accepting personal donations – i.e all donations are to their constituency. No âgiftsâ nothing that is not income from paid work and from their efforts as MPs.
6. This regime will deter exactly the sort of people we wish to eradicate from Parliament. They will have to ply their trade on the pier as they always used to. Men of substance will then consent to enter Parliament because they will not be overwhelmed by the riff raff that most would not normally encounter in life.
August 23, 2024
+1, it would bring partys back to the peopl
August 23, 2024
+1 LA
August 23, 2024
Lynn… an interesting take on the slush funded MPs, instead given to the Constituency Party to use. You would still have a possibly complicated membership decision on how to spend.
Fascinating original thought – well done.
August 23, 2024
What is the justification for paying for SPADs surely if they are party political then the party should cover the cost.
Save us from SPADs and career politicians.
August 23, 2024
Were SPADs not invented to help save us all from civil servants all too adept at manipulating Ministers?
August 23, 2024
well some might say they brought more intelligence into the Minister’s office than there was before!
August 23, 2024
Sir John
I too believe that all support for the religion that is a political party should come from its members alone.
Support with what for all intense of purpose is for something in return, not a just political direction but preferential treatment is what-ever way you shake it out a bribe.
I have a narrow purist view of democracy in that all election donation should only come from within the community that a candidate wishes to serve. There should be no national collection and distribution from the gang leadership.
August 23, 2024
I have similar thoughts on lobbying. As it stands the more money you have the more direct influence you have with Ministers and Government.
The big mainly foreign company run lobby organization get to seek to nullify themselves from being under competitive pressure from the start-ups, as they get more than one voice and more than one pressure point. Very few so-called trade organizations embrace and include a whole industry, just the top dogs that want to suppress competition.
Lobbying your local MP should be the only route, they as your representative should have the ear of ministers on your behalf. Isnât that the point of MPs and Parliament? Big lobby groups circumventing MPs and having direct access to Ministers is a bit sinister, particularly where these self-same outlets have their own Embassies and Trade Missions also talking direct to Ministers.
August 23, 2024
Perhaps taxpayer funding only is a better way, the amount being a very simple formula based on the number of votes received at the last election.
Lobbying should perhaps be outlawed completely, as should any donations to an individual MP, or a political party, be it by an individual, trade union, or business of any type.
Cash is the enemy of democracy.
August 24, 2024
No, because if you base it on the number of votes received at the previous election you are (a) giving a clear advantage to the incumbent government and (b) preventing new parties from ever being created
It would be a formula for democratic atrophy.
August 23, 2024
I think that as usual WE are paying for it!
Paying for the electoral system foisted upon us that is.
August 23, 2024
What democracy please?
When did we vote for mass uncontrolled immigration (legal and illegal)?
When did we vote for multiculturalism rather than integration so we are now a nation composed of different tribes, euphemistically called âcommunitiesâ each with their different languages, practices, laws and policing?
When did we vote for Net Zero, a Marxist device to destroy our economy, standard of living and even way of life?
Did Parliament itself even vote for these policies? Certainly not Net Zero by 2050 which was put into legislation without a vote, plan or costing.
A return to democracy requires referendums, or, as the current PM calls it, âPeoples Votesâ.
August 23, 2024
Those policies did not originate from the people but from globalist trash whose motivation is the opposite of patriotic. The policies of the Labour and Tory parties have led to our once mono-cultural country becoming a multicultural disaster in which large numbers of people with a propensity for knife crime or gang-raping of children have been imported at their behest and terrorise the English whose prisons are now full to bursting.
But let’s focus on the threat from Russia who are decidedly not behind our woes but are the enemy du jour of the criminal gang in the US State department.
August 23, 2024
SirJ I welcome and applaud your idea and principal âŠ.they sound more akin to the reform party than the current tory party âŠ.but than again, reform is the traditional tory
Party donations should only be received from UK registered voters and limited to ÂŁ5,000pa; no state, corporate or foreign donations should be allowed
August 23, 2024
Is every individual donation checked and analysed to see if the non corruption status applies and if so by whom?
Reply Yes, by press and public as well as those compiling the Register.
August 23, 2024
We all know the mess the country got into during the reign of Harold Wilson where the unions called all the shots.
Labour were only too willing to lose the election that brought in the tories who eventually sorted out the mess and put us on the road to recovery.
I don’t hold with union power – it is far from democratic. I despaired of it when working at a large manufacturing plant, where the unions would bring workers out on strike, often weekly, for the most frivolous of reasons.
For most of the time union barons sit on their fat paychecks and do very little to help productivity or workers. The only time they come alive is when they have called a strike. With labour giving the unions more power and firms forced to negotiate with unions even when the majority of workers don’t belong to a union, we can look forward to a future of disruption and ever more perverse socialism.
If we are now going to be ruled by union barons for the next 5 years, then we need a counter-balance of some kind – maybe that is why God invented hyper-inflation.
Certainly we should not be paying political parties to exist – if they cannot survive on what supporters give them then they are unfit to be a part of government.
August 23, 2024
I gather that some of these “Spads” are post graduates appointed directly from University. So, what job relevant advice can they offer a Minister? Having zero experience of the world outside of Uni, what would they know that their Minister would not?
Hmm. Or is the title, “Special Advisor”, Downing Street code for “Bag carrier”?
If so, why do Ministers need so many of them? Are they so over-burdened with Red Boxes each evening?
However, if a Minister cannot handle his workload he should not be in that position. But will any of them step down and actually lose face?
August 23, 2024
some were sent along to the nearest ‘offie’ from Downing St to fill up on bottles.
August 23, 2024
The idea by the Establishment that people should vote for parties is wrong, a government cabinet of ministers should be elected by the 650 menbers of parliament and not by a party, it time for parties to go, along with media.
You have a independent vote in private as a person and most people want to be voting for independent government elected by independent people, not a free for all
August 23, 2024
“MPs and Ministers need to tread carefully not to give a bad impression.”
Already far too late for that !
Within its first few weeks in office, Labour has already demonstrated just how deeply it is in hock to the Unions, especially the Junior Doctors and the Rail Unions. To agree such massive pay increases without any productivity gains was ridiculous, especially in respect of the Railways. Productivity is about to get even worse with ministers supporting working from home.
We are now going to see a massive rise in public spending to fund these wage rises and the others that are undoubtedly in the pipeline. The Fire Brigades Union will be next in line. Thank goodness we no longer have Dockers capable of holding the country to ransom !
August 23, 2024
It is naive to believe democracy exists other than on paper, and that faults can be corrected.
The whole structure has been allowed by the previous empty government to become corrupted. The politicians in control at present will get themselves embedded even more deeply and unremovable.
Along with their foreign demanding and threatening ‘community’ cultural friends and supporters, they will remove the rights and cultural history of the majority who will be made permanent victims of political corruption and criminality.
August 23, 2024
Ref your last paragraph – Deuteronomy 28:43 (5th book of the Torah (Hebrew Bible) and Christian Old Testament)
âThe foreigners who reside among you will rise above you higher and higher, but you will sink lower and lowerâ
August 23, 2024
There is something rotten in the state of Denmark
August 23, 2024
I suggest absolute transparency.
Every MP and government employee must list their interests in a publicly accessible register
.. which they read out before every meeting and every statement in the commons or Lords, to ensure the context for their contribution is always made clear.
With any luck they won’t be able to get much work/interference done.
August 23, 2024
Somewhat off topic, I have just sent this little letter to our local paper, the Maidenhead Advertiser:
“I am not surprised that a majority of people would now like to rejoin the EU, as James Aidan remarks.
The Government’s official leaflet for the 2016 referendum, agreed by Parliament, unambiguously stated:
“This is your decision. The Government will implement what you decide.”
but that did not touch the consciences of those parliamentarians whose primary loyalty was to the EU.
The propaganda campaign has been unremitting, and continues to this day, and inevitably has an effect.
Just Google for “Document: A Letter to the Times” to learn about pro-EEC propaganda in the 1970’s.”
I notice that on Sunday September 1 you will be the keynote speaker for an online discussion:
https://tinyurl.com/364b3fuk
and I hope you can take the opportunity to urge people to get organising counter-propaganda.
August 24, 2024
So what about Unite brazenly demanding policy in return for it’s payments?
August 25, 2024
The big difference is that unions, and hence the Labour Party, are funded by compulsion. Voluntary donations would see Labour somewhat impecunious. That is not the only difficulty with this issue. To funcion effectively, democracy requires more than one party, at least two and preferably three, that each command wide support. Without that there can be no meanful debate based on public advocacy. How can voluntary subscription be enough for poorer people to be as well represented as the rich. Is their greater number enough to ensure approximately equal funding? that is necessary, not because politics is about the poor versus the rich but because there are many important issues on which the poor are as patriotic and proud of their country as the rich – some would say they are even more likely to be so than the rich. They may value good education even more highly than those who simply buy it without much thought. They are less prone to adopt fanciful ideologies such as transgenderism than the rich and they are more acutely aware of bad policies from which the rich are ell insulated by the comfortable wealth.
It is hard to be selfless when very rich. As Jesus said, ‘It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.’
It is important that all donations are made without condition. Policy first, then seek donations. The unions and the Muslim party have it the other way round. It is a rare union that respects the public interest. Both corrupt democracy too easily.
The greatest vulnerability of democracy lies in the capture of education as recognised in the Communist manifesto of Marx and Engels and now the reality in the UK.
If democracy is in peril as it is, the place to start is freedom of expression and removal of political control of education. Pass control to the parents. Make all teaching material open to parents, give parents an absolute right to know exactly what is taught and to know what their children do at school and what teachers do or say with their children. And in the public arena simply legislate to state that freedom of expression of opinion trumps all other rights unless specifically excepted (libel etc).
August 25, 2024
And obviously give parents freedom of choice of school. Also give patients complete freedom of choice of health service providers as is done in Australia to remove socialism from the NHS.