We seem to be sliding towards sectarianism, as the “working class”, if they do vote at all, vote along party lines, but for the most part have given up voting as they have drawn the very understandable conclusion that it does not make a difference. This is allowing a small minority that votes along religious and ethnic lines (and is not averse to vote farming, legal or illegal), to get disproportionate representation and power. We have a ruling party that is happy to go along with this because these minorities vote, at least at this stage, for them, as Labour’s, and the Blob’s mantra of “all cultures are of equal value”, inclusivity and equality of outcome gives them an advantage they would not otherwise have.
This has to be stopped if we are to prevent the balkanisation, or ulsterisation, of UK politics.
Can I suggest the following;
- Voting is compulsory, with a small fine for non-participation - I do not like this, but I think we have little alternative at this stage.
- Postal Voting is banned except in extreme cases. All voting is in person with picture ID.
- There should be a “none of the above” option, which, if more than (say) 25% of the electorate vote for it, should trigger a fresh election. Hopefully this would encourage the main parties to select more impressive candidates, and bring to an end “donkey with a rosette” pattern that we have seen too much of and has degraded parliament.
- No MP should have dual citizenship - there should not be any question that their allegiance is other than to this country and its citizens. Possibly there should be an exception where the dual citizenship is a Commonwealth Country of which the King is the monarch.
- Certainly no Minister of State should have dual citizenship.
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I can see not one thing wrong with this proposal. However, like PR, with which I do see a couple of flaws, it will never get into law because those in power will not like it, whoever they are.
If we ever had a party that was controlled for and by the people get into power, then maybe this and many other very sensible laws could be brought onto the statute books.
Meanwhile, we need to build an airport in Pakistan, apparently.
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Mandated voting doesn’t work, it will pressure low information voters to make poor decisions while additionally incentivising gibs from politicians.
Postal voting should be banned full stop for the general public with a cross party collection at nursing homes if needed.
Gifts and benefits should be banned rather than the current system where they are ok as long as they’re disclosed and below a certain value.
Political corruption should have a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years uncapped scaling up on the severity (theres a difference between giving out a contract to a friend compared to turning a blind eye to rape gangs) as well as having the concept of the whip removed from legitimate political life.
Removal of the right of commonwealth citizens to vote in general elections
Life in prison for voter fraud,
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I agree that mandated voting is less than ideal for the reason you have set out. However, I do not see another way to counter sectarian voting that is already resulting in a disproportionate number of muslim mayors, councillors and MPs elected on a platform that has nothing to do with this country, representing nothing other than their sectarian interests, without derogating from the basic democratic principles that are central to our constitution. They vote as a bloc, whether legitimately or illegitimately, while the indigenous generally do not vote, but if they do, it is split - this creates the gap through which those who do not accept our way of life and wish to change it to reflect their social and religious biases get the power to do so. As imperfect and undesirable as it may be, I do not see another way that this can be countered without detracting from democratic principles.
The ‘democratic principles’ are the sticking point. I realise that equal voting rights is downstream of Christianity, imago dei and Magna Carta, but applied thoroughly it’s a disaster, easily gamed and rewarding the foolish.
I’m going to propose a civic-virtue weighted voting scheme.
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This information needs to get out to the voters, but of course the other side will cry racist… we need to be more thick skinned about that and do it anyway, so that those that rarely or never vote are aware that failing to vote probably means the thing they fear most will be the likely outcome
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Cannot disagree with this - somehow we need to get across that failing to engage is not resistance to the system, it is surrender.
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Compulsory voting only introduces more noise into the system, and therefore discourages engagement by voters who are committed to political principle. It would encourage parties to offer cruder and more eye catching policies.
A better way forward is to abandon the idea that everyone ought to vote. Decisions ought to be made by the virtuous, who have skin in the game. If virtue is rewarded (with more voting weight) public policy will have to compete on virtuous territory.
I agree that things need to change, but whilst some of your suggestions are valid, such as banning elected officials with dual citizenship, they are tinkering around the edges because they do not address the fundamental problems. Before deciding on what you might like, would you like to know just what options there could be?
By way of example, let me begin at the end, as it were. As we elect a representative, should we also have the power to un-elect them, mid-stream, too? If you think so, then all is explained in my book ‘The Living Vote’.
I asked Grok to review the book and this is the result.
PR isn’t the best option.Before deciding on what you might like, would you like to know just what options there could be?
By way of example, let me begin at the end, as it were. As we elect a representative, should we also have the power to un-elect them, mid-stream, too? If you think so, then all is explained in my book ‘The Living Vote’.
I asked Grok to review the book and this is the result.
Here’s another way. Before deciding on what you might like, would you like to know just what options there could be?
By way of example, let me begin at the end, as it were. As we elect a representative, should we also have the power to un-elect them, mid-stream, too? If you think so, then all is explained in my book ‘The Living Vote’.
I asked Grok to review the book and this is the result.
For mandated voting to be implemented it would require a friendly power to hold government, If such a thing was achieved our efforts would be better placed in changing the criteria of who can vote rather than forcing those that can to vote. The greater constitutional issue we face is the fact mass migration has given a population that’s only been present in the country for 20-30 years the means to define the future trajectory of a country with a population more or less homogeneous for over 1000 years even while being antithetical to the way of life of the native population.
This debate is based on poisoned foundations
On the subject of Constitution, perhaps GB-PAC’s constitution should disallow using these pages as a means of promoting goods, services and books.
It’s pretty easy to prevent sectarian voting in most places if Reform and Conservatives would swallow their pride and think of the people living there. Streeting (Labour) is set to lose his seat to a sectarian, but Labour isn’t the only alternative. This would be a Conservative seat without Reform. Labour’s seat in Bradford is also going Gaza, but would be a Reform seat without Conservatives. I wish we could get them to see that swallowing their pride would gain both parties seats they would never otherwise get and represent the intellectual diversity in these places.
