Democracy: For a Peoples Parliament not a House of Thieves

 

The UK has a failing parliamentary democracy. The MPs expenses scandal and the exposure of MPs Hewitt, Byers and Hoon offering hire by corporate interests at £5000 a day caused widespread anger and disgust. It is the tip of an iceberg. The House of Commons has been corrupted in a more fundamental way. It does not function as an effective legislature and has proved incapable of exercising real control of the government. As a representative of the people it is effectively neutralised or disabled. The Commons is little more than a political theatre. MPs are reduced to the role of lobby fodder or kept busy taking foreign trips.

 

The British system of government by the Crown concentrates power in the hands of the Prime Minister and senior Ministers and Civil Servants. Power is highly centralised and flows from the top downwards. The Crown effectively controls the House of Commons through the Whips and the system of promotions and rewards. A majority of people opposed the Iraq war. But the Commons voted for it because the government was in control. Public opinion can be safely ignored without immediate consequences

 

The Banks and the City have a major influence through the Bank of England and the Treasury into the heart of government. Parliament has no means of control. It is a rubber stamp which provides an appearance of democracy which is absent in practice. After the general election the Commons will rubber stamp the biggest robbery the banks have ever carried out. Without radical reform it will remain the House of Thieves serving corporate interests and financial advantage of MPs themselves. After the general elections the Commons will vote through the biggest robbery the banks have ever carried out.

 

A people’s democracy is founded on the principle of the sovereignty of the people over parliament, civil service and government. A democratic and secular form of popular government must be supported by an extension of democratic or public ownership. The reform of parliament must include the ending of all hereditary or unelected institutions such as the monarchy, House of Lords and Privy Council. Senior Civil Servants must be accountable to parliament and people and not as at present owing alliance to the Crown.

 

MPs must be regularly elected and accountable to their electors annually. They should be elected by proportional representation and paid the average wage. Electors should have the right to remove any MP between elections. Parliament should control its own agenda. Ministers should be elected by and accountable to parliament. All information in the hands of civil servants belongs to the people and must be accountable to parliament.         

 

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