Reading Steve Shaw`s article `Radical Bottom Up Democracy` in The Citizen this month I began to wonder if I`d unknowingly passed through a time-warp.
Steve`s article, commendable in it`s intentions, aimed to promote the Sustainable Communities Act of 2008. In that respect, I have no problem with it whatsoever.
What`s striking is his description of the obstacles he claims the Act has encountered. "Senior Whitehall civil servants" have tried to "block the Act" and are in fact "doing all they can to destroy the democratic core of the Act". "Sir Humphrey" (a reference to a character in a 1980s TV series) "is still at large."
Reading the relevant passages, I felt as if I was reading a tract from either the Thatcherite right of the `80s or something from some 1970s ultra-left grouping, an impression furthered by the dated TV reference. Don`t be so shrill, Steve, people will stare !
I haven`t given up my time just to poke fun at someone who I`m sure is doing good and valuable work, I do have some serious points to make.
Firstly, I have some experience of civil service work in days gone by, including a short spell in the HQ of a nationally known government agency. That particular job was one I hated, but it did have it`s educational side ! One thing I can state with some certainty is that, whatever may have happened in the past, these days if Civil Servants are deliberately obstructive or drag their heels, frankly it`s because politicians, probably those at a very high level, have either told them to do so or have indicated that they`ll turn a blind eye.
The other point is that the Sir Humphrey character was a portrayal of a particular type of Whitehall culture which might have existed at one time, but didn`t survive the Thatcher years. Mrs T, as you may know, cut the power of `Whitehall mandarins` by turning large parts of the old Departments into semi-autonomous Agencies run by Chief Executives brought in from the private sector on short term contracts. A number of the newly-formed Agencies were in fact moved out of London, and both the Conservatives and Labour have subsequently preferred the advice of businessmen and political appointees to that of career Civil Servants.
The resultant outcry against the `democratic deficit` thus created was in fact a great boost to Charter 88, one of the `ancestors` of Unlock Democracy, the very organisation Steve represents, so it`s odd if he is unaware of this.
My guess is that Steve has genuine concerns that the Act is being obstructed but is reluctant to antagonise the very politicians he needs to ensure that it is properly implemented. In an odd way I can see how that would be a dilemna, but I have to say one should be wary of half-truths as a vehicle for advancing a cause. By their very nature, Unlock Democracy supporters tend to be well-informed people with a social conscience who have a rooted objection to the Westminster culture of the three main parties. I`m not sure they`re interested in reliving the battles of the past.
Having said all this, it`s only right to stress that Unlock Democracy is an excellent organisation, that the Local Works project (a coalition of over 120 organisations ranging from Trade Unions to small business organisations, environmental groups and others all wishing - quite rightly - to see the Sustainable Communities Act, which came into force in 2008, properly implemented) is extremely worthwhile and that the hard work and commitment of Steve Shaw and his team is beyond question. I hope anyone reading this will be tempted to visit their sites at http://www.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/ and http://www.localworks.org/ and see what it`s all about.
Lastly, The Citizen is a good read and obviously provocative or you wouldn`t be reading this article in the first place !
Showing posts with label democracy accountability representation participation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label democracy accountability representation participation. Show all posts
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Blasts from the Past - J B Priestley on Democracy
Yorkshire is believed by many to be the cradle of civilization, and among it`s finest exports we find the writings of J B `Jack` Priestley, novelist, essayist and somewhat reluctant political activist.
This legendary literary grumbler made a passing appearance in this blog in `JBP Gets it Right` , 12 April 2010.
Schemes to extend and deepen democracy take many shapes and forms. I suppose one could validly come up with a number of names, often from different and/or conflicting political backgrounds, all of whom could stake their claim with some justice. I personally would name-check W E B Du Bois, Manning Marable and Sam Webb, though in each case it would be a critical appreciation.
Having said that, there is one man who has been an influence on me for a much longer time than any of these, a man whose plays, essays, short stories and novels have obscured his credentials as a political thinker, and that`s our old mate Jack.
I`ll leave discussion of the various causes our grumpy literary lion embraced for another time, and concentrate for the moment on the views expressed in his wartime book Out of the People (1941).
At the time he wrote this book he had for a time been one of Britain`s most popular radio broadcasters, second only to Churchill in the people`s affections. This period of his life had lasted for six months before his programmes were cut due to complaints that he was becoming too political. He himself claimed to have received abusive letters from his detractors, though one assumes that a man who had fought in World War One was not unduly troubled by the odd crank letter.
Tellingly, when Priestley considers democracy, he does not see it as simply something that happens every few years, not merely a method by which people elect politicians and nothing else. Neither does he simply see it (as I tend to) as an ongoing process of representation and accountability. His version seems to be a more complete vision, taking into account the interplay of different and sometimes opposing forces.
In the passages I`ll be quoting he looks at those factors in British life which seem to him to offer bulwarks against totalitarianism. In places he is obviously discussing a rather different world than the one we now live in, but his underlying message, in my view, still stands. I`ve edited out references that are very dated, but have left the substance of his remarks unaltered ;
Tellingly, his democracy is not in fact the democracy of politicians, but the democracy of, as the title of his book implies, the people. In the Britain of his day, he tells us ;
"A whole world of conduct and values persists outside...official authority. This means that although that authority might be as strongly organised and centralised here as it is elsewhere, the effect could not possibly be the same. There are Courts, those of popular and private opinion, where it`s writ does not run."
Leaving aside these slightly intangible factors, he goes on to look at organisations ;
"Fortunately too for Britain the central authority has not suppressed various large and powerful associations that are the first to disappear in a totalitarian state.
Among these of course are the trade unions...Some of us have always tended to deplore the direct political influence of trades unionism, on the ground that it is uncreative and really bolsters up the capitalistic system. The trade union official, after years of negotiation, is not easily transformed into a boldly constructive political leader. If he is a member of Parliament...he is apt to regard himself as having "arrived" more or less like the Tory politician who finds himself in the House of Lords, and may do little more than obey routine orders. Most of us have at some time or other condemned that political machine known as Transport House. But now I for one am glad that it still exists."
Remaining with the subject of the unions, he then looks at them from another angle ;
"The organisation of so many workpeople into powerful unions...does mean that such workpeople, no matter how wide the gulf between them and the real executives, do not feel powerless and helpless, mere cogs in a vast machine. There still exists a sphere in which they can to some extent assert themselves. They may find themselves dominated by the political machinery of Transport House, but at least this is another kind of machine, capable of resisting if necessary the power of the central authority."
Moving on, he turns his attention to the Co-Operative Movement (then rather different to the one we know today), and to professional associations ;
"Another example of a strong association...is the Co-Operative Society, which might use its vast membership, elaborate organisation and wealth in a more boldly creative fashion than it has done up to now.
And then there are the various professional associations, some of which, notably the British Medical Association, could if necessary offer some resistance to any unreasonable and tyrannical government demands, and might prove very useful allies to any democratic movement."
He goes on to give what seems to me to be his strongest argument ;
"The fact that it is always one of the first acts of a dictator to suppress or control such associations as these only proves how fortunate we are still to possess such associations. But indeed the part they play in English life is very important, and most outside observers, concentrating too much on our Parliament and Cabinet system, nearly always make the mistake of underestimating their influence. The network of them gives a certain democratic toughness to the fabric of English life that is not perceptible to the foreign theorist. They are...capable of playing an even greater part in the new Britain."
Clearly these matters are important to him as a couple of pages later he returns to his theme ;
"Fortunately the network of associations, whether trade and professional or educational and cultural, remains with us. Their continued existence - and in spite of so many adverse conditions they are astonishingly alive - means that people can meet and freely exchange ideas and opinions. At these times they are all something more than servants of the machine. They are real citizens. They throw off any resemblance to the featureless folk of `the masses` and turn into real people. The true democratic spirit, which can only exist among real people, is born among them."
(The latter comment may seem a little odd. He is referring back to an earlier passage in which he argued that Fascists and orthodox Communists view the population as an undifferentiated mass (`the masses`), rather than the infinitely varied body of people (`real people`) he himself encountered. )
There, for the moment, we`ll leave JB. The important thing here, to me, is not that he is arguing for an uncritical appreciation of the bodies he mentions - clearly he has his own criticisms of the trade unions and the co-operative movement, and I`m sure he could have found aspects of the work of the BMA he was unhappy with. His specific contention, that the organisations he referred to provide obstacles in the path of any tendency towards totalitarianism or over-centralisation seems to me to be well-made. More relevant today is to consider the role these organisations play and whether, each in their own way, they contribute to a healthy democracy.
We`ll return to JBP at some later date, right now, I`m going to have my dinner !
This legendary literary grumbler made a passing appearance in this blog in `JBP Gets it Right` , 12 April 2010.
Schemes to extend and deepen democracy take many shapes and forms. I suppose one could validly come up with a number of names, often from different and/or conflicting political backgrounds, all of whom could stake their claim with some justice. I personally would name-check W E B Du Bois, Manning Marable and Sam Webb, though in each case it would be a critical appreciation.
Having said that, there is one man who has been an influence on me for a much longer time than any of these, a man whose plays, essays, short stories and novels have obscured his credentials as a political thinker, and that`s our old mate Jack.
I`ll leave discussion of the various causes our grumpy literary lion embraced for another time, and concentrate for the moment on the views expressed in his wartime book Out of the People (1941).
At the time he wrote this book he had for a time been one of Britain`s most popular radio broadcasters, second only to Churchill in the people`s affections. This period of his life had lasted for six months before his programmes were cut due to complaints that he was becoming too political. He himself claimed to have received abusive letters from his detractors, though one assumes that a man who had fought in World War One was not unduly troubled by the odd crank letter.
Tellingly, when Priestley considers democracy, he does not see it as simply something that happens every few years, not merely a method by which people elect politicians and nothing else. Neither does he simply see it (as I tend to) as an ongoing process of representation and accountability. His version seems to be a more complete vision, taking into account the interplay of different and sometimes opposing forces.
In the passages I`ll be quoting he looks at those factors in British life which seem to him to offer bulwarks against totalitarianism. In places he is obviously discussing a rather different world than the one we now live in, but his underlying message, in my view, still stands. I`ve edited out references that are very dated, but have left the substance of his remarks unaltered ;
Tellingly, his democracy is not in fact the democracy of politicians, but the democracy of, as the title of his book implies, the people. In the Britain of his day, he tells us ;
"A whole world of conduct and values persists outside...official authority. This means that although that authority might be as strongly organised and centralised here as it is elsewhere, the effect could not possibly be the same. There are Courts, those of popular and private opinion, where it`s writ does not run."
Leaving aside these slightly intangible factors, he goes on to look at organisations ;
"Fortunately too for Britain the central authority has not suppressed various large and powerful associations that are the first to disappear in a totalitarian state.
Among these of course are the trade unions...Some of us have always tended to deplore the direct political influence of trades unionism, on the ground that it is uncreative and really bolsters up the capitalistic system. The trade union official, after years of negotiation, is not easily transformed into a boldly constructive political leader. If he is a member of Parliament...he is apt to regard himself as having "arrived" more or less like the Tory politician who finds himself in the House of Lords, and may do little more than obey routine orders. Most of us have at some time or other condemned that political machine known as Transport House. But now I for one am glad that it still exists."
Remaining with the subject of the unions, he then looks at them from another angle ;
"The organisation of so many workpeople into powerful unions...does mean that such workpeople, no matter how wide the gulf between them and the real executives, do not feel powerless and helpless, mere cogs in a vast machine. There still exists a sphere in which they can to some extent assert themselves. They may find themselves dominated by the political machinery of Transport House, but at least this is another kind of machine, capable of resisting if necessary the power of the central authority."
Moving on, he turns his attention to the Co-Operative Movement (then rather different to the one we know today), and to professional associations ;
"Another example of a strong association...is the Co-Operative Society, which might use its vast membership, elaborate organisation and wealth in a more boldly creative fashion than it has done up to now.
And then there are the various professional associations, some of which, notably the British Medical Association, could if necessary offer some resistance to any unreasonable and tyrannical government demands, and might prove very useful allies to any democratic movement."
He goes on to give what seems to me to be his strongest argument ;
"The fact that it is always one of the first acts of a dictator to suppress or control such associations as these only proves how fortunate we are still to possess such associations. But indeed the part they play in English life is very important, and most outside observers, concentrating too much on our Parliament and Cabinet system, nearly always make the mistake of underestimating their influence. The network of them gives a certain democratic toughness to the fabric of English life that is not perceptible to the foreign theorist. They are...capable of playing an even greater part in the new Britain."
Clearly these matters are important to him as a couple of pages later he returns to his theme ;
"Fortunately the network of associations, whether trade and professional or educational and cultural, remains with us. Their continued existence - and in spite of so many adverse conditions they are astonishingly alive - means that people can meet and freely exchange ideas and opinions. At these times they are all something more than servants of the machine. They are real citizens. They throw off any resemblance to the featureless folk of `the masses` and turn into real people. The true democratic spirit, which can only exist among real people, is born among them."
(The latter comment may seem a little odd. He is referring back to an earlier passage in which he argued that Fascists and orthodox Communists view the population as an undifferentiated mass (`the masses`), rather than the infinitely varied body of people (`real people`) he himself encountered. )
There, for the moment, we`ll leave JB. The important thing here, to me, is not that he is arguing for an uncritical appreciation of the bodies he mentions - clearly he has his own criticisms of the trade unions and the co-operative movement, and I`m sure he could have found aspects of the work of the BMA he was unhappy with. His specific contention, that the organisations he referred to provide obstacles in the path of any tendency towards totalitarianism or over-centralisation seems to me to be well-made. More relevant today is to consider the role these organisations play and whether, each in their own way, they contribute to a healthy democracy.
We`ll return to JBP at some later date, right now, I`m going to have my dinner !
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Nick Clegg Plays Jazz Saxophone !
Yes, it`s true ! Liberal Democrat Party leader Nick Clegg plays jazz saxophone and has his own Charlie Parker tribute act. Other members include author Terry Pratchett, TV presenter Adrian Childs and a man called Barry who they met when he delivered a pizza to the rehearsal rooms they use in Dartford , Kent.
Actually, that`s not true at all, I made it up. Having got your attention, I`d like to return to the subject of the recent UK general election - the reason for that little trip to the outlands of my imagination was just to spice things up a bit.
More than any other recent general election, this one seemed to me to be all about disaffected Labour voters, particularly in the Midlands and the North.
In a surprise move, the Tories seemed to target this group. Where I live, numerous advertising hoardings presented themselves to passers by with images of blue-collar workers accompanied by the slogan `I`ve Never Voted Tory Before, But...`. As I mentioned before, David Cameron seemed to distance himself from the legacy of Mrs Thatcher and speak the language of unity and the common good, a message that some say displeased his backbenchers.
The Liberal Democrats, as we know, increased both the number of votes they received and the proportion of votes cast, though the number of seats they held fell. The reason for this, I suspect, is something else I commented on before, that the non-Tory vote in traditional Labour strongholds divided itself between Lib and Lab. This was a big concern for Labour, as illustrated in some of the leaflets that came through my door, one in particular carrying the slightly bizarre message "go to bed with Nick Clegg and you could wake up with David Cameron" !
Another thing that came over very strongly was the superficial worldview of many TV pundits, accustomed for so long to treating politics as a game of musical chairs played at Westminster. Again and again, pundit talked to politician and pundit talked to pundit, before (of course), turning back to the studio to see how the city was reacting.
This lack of depth revealed itself in other ways.
When David Cameron twice stressed that he numbered steel company Corus among his backers, no-one knew enough to challenge him about their appalling health and safety record (even though they acquired four further criminal convictions and fines totalling £355,000 during the run-up to the election and are currently under investigation following yet another death at one of their sites), or their boardroom instability (four senior managers having resigned in as many months), or their controversial `mothballing` of their plant at Redcar at a time when the overseas market for steel is bouyant.
When Liberal Democrats campaigning in the key marginal of Derby North boasted of their party having taken control of Derby City Council, no-one mentioned the unusual background (when Labour and Conservative Councillors entered into a pact to freeze out Lib Dem Councillors, Labour voters in a magnificent display of bloody-mindedness took ther votes way from Labour and voted Lib Dem instead) or the questions that have been asked as to whether some councillors are too close to waste contractor RRG, or the use of public funds to finance RRG`s appeal against their own Council Planning Committee.
No-one could say that Labour had a good campaign, but in truth it could have been worse. Had reporters sampled views in the increasingly resentful Labour heartlands, one feels a few home truths might have been spoken. Instead , reporters talked about such specious concepts as `Lambrini Ladies` and `Motorway Men`, oblivious to the fact the Labour`s support was draining away in cities and town centres.
Two big changes were noticeable.
One concerned immigration. At one time, when politicians spoke on this issue, they were usually `playing the race card`. Now, you wouldn`t make that assumption - people`s concern tends to be over European immigrants and migrant workers, to be a matter of resources and not of race.
While it`s true that the BNP and UKIP weren`t able to make any political capital over the matter, there is something of a democratic deficit. As things stand, any voter of mainstream political views who feels we have given too much power to an insufficiently democratic European Union simply has nowhere to go. I was glad to see the Lib Dems switch their emphasis from being part of Europe to wanting to reform Europe, and also to hear recently that any further hand-over of power to Brussells will now be subject to a referendum (allegedly).
The other is manufacturing. Suddenly, all three main party leaders are enthusiastic supporters of the UK`s manufacturing industry. In fairness, Nick Clegg is MP for Sheffield and so has a constituency interest in the matter, but the other two as far as I knew where apostles of globalisation and the `casino economy` of financial services. One suspects this change of heart has to do with having been brought face to face with the reality of the roulette wheel of investment banking, as well as the need to win hearts and minds north of the Thames. Certainly it`s no bad thing. In my view we need more manufacturing, more green jobs and above all, safe jobs. I really do think we are going to lay down the law (probably literally) to companies like Corus and BP.
Anyway, that`s wot I fink about the election. Now that`s done, let me tell you about David Cameron`s secret life as an Elvis impersonator...
Actually, that`s not true at all, I made it up. Having got your attention, I`d like to return to the subject of the recent UK general election - the reason for that little trip to the outlands of my imagination was just to spice things up a bit.
More than any other recent general election, this one seemed to me to be all about disaffected Labour voters, particularly in the Midlands and the North.
In a surprise move, the Tories seemed to target this group. Where I live, numerous advertising hoardings presented themselves to passers by with images of blue-collar workers accompanied by the slogan `I`ve Never Voted Tory Before, But...`. As I mentioned before, David Cameron seemed to distance himself from the legacy of Mrs Thatcher and speak the language of unity and the common good, a message that some say displeased his backbenchers.
The Liberal Democrats, as we know, increased both the number of votes they received and the proportion of votes cast, though the number of seats they held fell. The reason for this, I suspect, is something else I commented on before, that the non-Tory vote in traditional Labour strongholds divided itself between Lib and Lab. This was a big concern for Labour, as illustrated in some of the leaflets that came through my door, one in particular carrying the slightly bizarre message "go to bed with Nick Clegg and you could wake up with David Cameron" !
Another thing that came over very strongly was the superficial worldview of many TV pundits, accustomed for so long to treating politics as a game of musical chairs played at Westminster. Again and again, pundit talked to politician and pundit talked to pundit, before (of course), turning back to the studio to see how the city was reacting.
This lack of depth revealed itself in other ways.
When David Cameron twice stressed that he numbered steel company Corus among his backers, no-one knew enough to challenge him about their appalling health and safety record (even though they acquired four further criminal convictions and fines totalling £355,000 during the run-up to the election and are currently under investigation following yet another death at one of their sites), or their boardroom instability (four senior managers having resigned in as many months), or their controversial `mothballing` of their plant at Redcar at a time when the overseas market for steel is bouyant.
When Liberal Democrats campaigning in the key marginal of Derby North boasted of their party having taken control of Derby City Council, no-one mentioned the unusual background (when Labour and Conservative Councillors entered into a pact to freeze out Lib Dem Councillors, Labour voters in a magnificent display of bloody-mindedness took ther votes way from Labour and voted Lib Dem instead) or the questions that have been asked as to whether some councillors are too close to waste contractor RRG, or the use of public funds to finance RRG`s appeal against their own Council Planning Committee.
No-one could say that Labour had a good campaign, but in truth it could have been worse. Had reporters sampled views in the increasingly resentful Labour heartlands, one feels a few home truths might have been spoken. Instead , reporters talked about such specious concepts as `Lambrini Ladies` and `Motorway Men`, oblivious to the fact the Labour`s support was draining away in cities and town centres.
Two big changes were noticeable.
One concerned immigration. At one time, when politicians spoke on this issue, they were usually `playing the race card`. Now, you wouldn`t make that assumption - people`s concern tends to be over European immigrants and migrant workers, to be a matter of resources and not of race.
While it`s true that the BNP and UKIP weren`t able to make any political capital over the matter, there is something of a democratic deficit. As things stand, any voter of mainstream political views who feels we have given too much power to an insufficiently democratic European Union simply has nowhere to go. I was glad to see the Lib Dems switch their emphasis from being part of Europe to wanting to reform Europe, and also to hear recently that any further hand-over of power to Brussells will now be subject to a referendum (allegedly).
The other is manufacturing. Suddenly, all three main party leaders are enthusiastic supporters of the UK`s manufacturing industry. In fairness, Nick Clegg is MP for Sheffield and so has a constituency interest in the matter, but the other two as far as I knew where apostles of globalisation and the `casino economy` of financial services. One suspects this change of heart has to do with having been brought face to face with the reality of the roulette wheel of investment banking, as well as the need to win hearts and minds north of the Thames. Certainly it`s no bad thing. In my view we need more manufacturing, more green jobs and above all, safe jobs. I really do think we are going to lay down the law (probably literally) to companies like Corus and BP.
Anyway, that`s wot I fink about the election. Now that`s done, let me tell you about David Cameron`s secret life as an Elvis impersonator...
Monday, 15 March 2010
Roundup
Starting today I`m going to be providing a series of `Roundups` at irregular intervals giving information about current goings-on in the progressive community. For the most part, I`ll be concentrating on non-party/grassroots/community campaigns and the like, but I reserve the right to be completely inconsistent in the selections I make !
These are all UK-based, but may be of interest wherever you are.
CHILD WELFARE
End Child Detention Now - http://ecdn.org/
"A citizen`s campaign to end the scandal of child detention by UK immigration authorities".
RACE RELATIONS
Runnymede Trust - http://www.runnymedetrust.org/
This London-based race relations charity has recently launched a series of publications called Runnymede Political Perspectives, with contributions by representatives of the major political parties.
The first of these is Conservativism and Community Cohesion : A Perspective by Conservative MP Dominic Grieve QC , edited by Robin Frampton and with additional comment by a number of academics.
The second is Race Equality and the Liberal Democrats : A Perspective by Lynne Featherstone, a Liberal Democrat MP who is her party`s spokesperson on equality. Again, this is edited by Robin Frampton and features responses from a number of academics.
Presumably the next will be from a Labour MP.
ANIMAL WELFARE
Pit Pony Petitions
The proprietor of a pit pony sanctuary in Wales has launched three petitions - to the Parliaments in England, Scotland and Wales - relating to the use of ponies underground. For an explanation of the issues, links to the petitions and other campaign materials, visit www.visitpitponies.co.uk/petition . Please note, the three petitions all have different closing dates (two in May and one in August). You do not have to be resident in England, Scotland or Wales to sign these.
GENERAL ELECTION
This blog ignores party politics but if you live in the UK you may have noticed we have an election coming up. I won`t tell you who to vote for and I won`t tell you who I`ll be voting for, but what I will do is provide these links ;
http://tellthemwhatyouthink.org/
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/
http://www.democracyclub.org.uk/
http://www.thestraightchoice.org/
How you vote is your choice. Make sure it`s an informed choice !
ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT
CPRE / Transport
The increasingly assertive Campaign to Protect Rural England has ambitious plans in respect of transport. Opposed to aviation expansion and road expansion, the organisation calls for a "railway renaissance" and is also looking at areas such as rural transport and road safety. CPRE was part of a coalition (with green groups, certain local authorities and local residents) which has mounted a legal challenge to the proposed building of a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow airport. The outcome is expected later this month. www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/transport .
Save Our Valley
See my earlier article for this blog `Doctor Denounces Democratic Deficit` (this blog 2 Feb 2010). The main issue relates to the proposed siting of pylons in the Bristol/Somerset area. A secondary issue is the allegedly flawed consultation process. The underlying issue, and to my mind the most important issue, is that the IPC (the body which oversees national infrastructure projects) is not accountable to anyone. http://www.save-our-valley.co.uk/
Tripping Up Trump
As the name implies, a campaign initially concerned with plans made by Donald Trump to build a £1bn golf course in Aberdeenshire and the likely impact on local people - some of whom will lose their homes - and on the environment. Increasingly, the campaign is addressing an underlying issue, arguing that compulsory purchase orders should not be used to help establish a private business concern. http://www.trippinguptrump.com/
Various ( Rushcliffe Greenfields, Rufford Incinerator and others)
For a round-up of a number of ongoing preservation and conservation campaigns in the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire area ;
http://bookshelvesandbrownale.blogspot.com/2010/03/snapshot.html
And Finally...
Let`s end on a positive note.
Congratulations to the Save Our Sheringham campaign on winning their 14 year long battle with Tesco (details from http://tescno.blogspot.com/ and/or http://www.tescopoly.org/ ). Councillors have now given the go-ahead to a proposed eco-friendly supermarket, a local initiative which has secured the backing of Waitrose.
These are all UK-based, but may be of interest wherever you are.
CHILD WELFARE
End Child Detention Now - http://ecdn.org/
"A citizen`s campaign to end the scandal of child detention by UK immigration authorities".
RACE RELATIONS
Runnymede Trust - http://www.runnymedetrust.org/
This London-based race relations charity has recently launched a series of publications called Runnymede Political Perspectives, with contributions by representatives of the major political parties.
The first of these is Conservativism and Community Cohesion : A Perspective by Conservative MP Dominic Grieve QC , edited by Robin Frampton and with additional comment by a number of academics.
The second is Race Equality and the Liberal Democrats : A Perspective by Lynne Featherstone, a Liberal Democrat MP who is her party`s spokesperson on equality. Again, this is edited by Robin Frampton and features responses from a number of academics.
Presumably the next will be from a Labour MP.
ANIMAL WELFARE
Pit Pony Petitions
The proprietor of a pit pony sanctuary in Wales has launched three petitions - to the Parliaments in England, Scotland and Wales - relating to the use of ponies underground. For an explanation of the issues, links to the petitions and other campaign materials, visit www.visitpitponies.co.uk/petition . Please note, the three petitions all have different closing dates (two in May and one in August). You do not have to be resident in England, Scotland or Wales to sign these.
GENERAL ELECTION
This blog ignores party politics but if you live in the UK you may have noticed we have an election coming up. I won`t tell you who to vote for and I won`t tell you who I`ll be voting for, but what I will do is provide these links ;
http://tellthemwhatyouthink.org/
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/
http://www.democracyclub.org.uk/
http://www.thestraightchoice.org/
How you vote is your choice. Make sure it`s an informed choice !
ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT
CPRE / Transport
The increasingly assertive Campaign to Protect Rural England has ambitious plans in respect of transport. Opposed to aviation expansion and road expansion, the organisation calls for a "railway renaissance" and is also looking at areas such as rural transport and road safety. CPRE was part of a coalition (with green groups, certain local authorities and local residents) which has mounted a legal challenge to the proposed building of a third runway and sixth terminal at Heathrow airport. The outcome is expected later this month. www.cpre.org.uk/campaigns/transport .
Save Our Valley
See my earlier article for this blog `Doctor Denounces Democratic Deficit` (this blog 2 Feb 2010). The main issue relates to the proposed siting of pylons in the Bristol/Somerset area. A secondary issue is the allegedly flawed consultation process. The underlying issue, and to my mind the most important issue, is that the IPC (the body which oversees national infrastructure projects) is not accountable to anyone. http://www.save-our-valley.co.uk/
Tripping Up Trump
As the name implies, a campaign initially concerned with plans made by Donald Trump to build a £1bn golf course in Aberdeenshire and the likely impact on local people - some of whom will lose their homes - and on the environment. Increasingly, the campaign is addressing an underlying issue, arguing that compulsory purchase orders should not be used to help establish a private business concern. http://www.trippinguptrump.com/
Various ( Rushcliffe Greenfields, Rufford Incinerator and others)
For a round-up of a number of ongoing preservation and conservation campaigns in the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire area ;
http://bookshelvesandbrownale.blogspot.com/2010/03/snapshot.html
And Finally...
Let`s end on a positive note.
Congratulations to the Save Our Sheringham campaign on winning their 14 year long battle with Tesco (details from http://tescno.blogspot.com/ and/or http://www.tescopoly.org/ ). Councillors have now given the go-ahead to a proposed eco-friendly supermarket, a local initiative which has secured the backing of Waitrose.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
