Frequently Asked Questions

Who is behind this?

We are a group of ordinary people who believe the present system fails to find solutions to our most pressing problems. Our aim is to change the way politics is practiced in order to: a) create a system that actually empowers us to find the necessary solutions to the problems we're facing today and b), to create a truly democratic Britain, where the people decide how they are governed. 

We have no connections with any political party, political organisation or campaigning group. 

The viewpoint we share is that everybody could benefit from this project, and that any change must come about through democratic processes. When this is over we will have a vote that counts, and so will you.

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Why has this never been done before?

Everyone in British politics knows just how important these few voters are in the key marginals and in the past some have tried to use that power. Unfortunately they have tried to use that power to impose their own agenda on the people of Britain, which is why they have failed. Our approach is different. The only thing we impose on you is choice, we give you the opportunity to choose how we are governed.

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The Conservatives are so far ahead this can't work.

There are those who believe that the Conservatives are heading for a landslide and would suggest that our campaign would struggle in this situation. This is not the case. Even if the Conservatives were heading for a large majority, perhaps one hundred seats, we could easily prevent them gaining an overall majority. Our calculations suggest that we would need the support of 49,000 floating voters to do this. That might appear to be a large number, but they would be spread through fifty seats. In the most difficult seat we would have to target we would need the support of 2,100 people from a constituency of around 70,000 voters. That's only 3% of the people in the constituency. Our canvassing returns suggest a support level for the campaign of around 50%, even with the very low profile we have now, and the lack of information people have on direct democracy systems.

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How will you get the support of the 15,000 floating voters?

We will be doing carefully structured campaigns in each key marginal constituency, using established campaigning techniques. We will also be using internet marketing techniques coordinated with conventional methods.

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Who will be on the Commission?

We are suggesting that the Commissioners should be elected by a delegate system. You elect the delegates, one per constituency at the next general election, and they choose from amongst themselves the Commissioners who serve for two years. Party members would not be eligible for election. For more information please see the web page 'The Commissioners'.

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What will you do with the money you raise?

We have already created the initial team and operational office with the money we have raised so far. We are now moving into the second phase of the operation and are starting the campaign. We are a non-profit organisation set up as a trust. For more information on how the financial aspects of the trust are organized, please see the accountability section of the website.

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This sounds like more government, do we really need it?

Think of the project as a way of getting rid of some of the government we've got!

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You seem to have a lot of trust in politicians, yet they are seen as one of the least trusted groups in society

They are one of the least trusted groups, but when people are asked to rate the politicians they know - their MP for example - as individuals, they rate very highly. It seems that it is 'politics' that we don't trust, not politicians. It's the political system we are going to change.

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What is your position on individual political issues

We don't have a position on political issues. We don't do positions, we don't do policy. That's the only way we will be able to unite people behind us. We are campaigning for the transfer of sovereignty to the British people: no more, no less.

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With this system wouldn't hanging be brought back?

There is no movement to bring back hanging in British politics, the media or any other area of British life. There is the occasional tabloid headline 'Bring back hanging' but this is always followed by the line 'says victims mother' or brother etc. The tabloids don't support it, they just exploit the headline to increase sales. Even if a campaign to bring back hanging started, a counter campaign would get of the ground very quickly. This would point out the numerous miscarriages of justice there have been in recent years, for example the Guildford four and most recently, Barry George. The film 'Let him have it' about a miscarriage of justice that led to a hanging would be shown at cinemas around Britain. It is unlikely that a campaign to bring back hanging would get very far. There is also article 2 of the European charter of fundamental rights that we have signed that would prevent the death penalty being reintroduced. Finally, Britain got rid of hanging in 1969 through Parliamentary processes. The Swiss who use referendums regularly abolished the death penalty in 1948.....with a referendum.

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I am a member of a political party, can I join the campaign?

We believe you can. We are a pressure group like Friends of the Earth or Greenpeace,not a political party and you are free to join the campaign, as many have done already. We will not ask you to collect pledges or campaign against your party. We hope you will encourage your fellow party members to join us. We would welcome your support.

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Contact

The Campaign for Democracy
17-19 Penrallt St , Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 8AG
Tel : 01654 703513