I've noticed there is no discussion on this forum about the manner in which we elect our government, which I feel is strange because in my various meanderings around the wonderful world of t'internet, this is quite a hot potato.
Of course we need to do away with First Past The Post as a means of electing our government. It doesn't represent the majority, it only perpetuates a distorted and gerrymandered system which is increasingly being distorted even further still as we drift further and further to the extreme right in Britain. But that can be defeated and if the opposition parties have the nous, the will and the desire to see true change, they will gather in an electoral pact to turn their majority in the popular vote into a defeat for this wretched regime.
Having done this, there must then be the most radical overhaul of the electoral system this country has ever seen. First Past The Post MUST go and be replaced by Proportional Representation. I know this will be opposed on here by the usual suspects and I'm not even going to argue the case for it. Everybody knows that it is the only way to ensure a fair balance of power in relation to the votes cast.
But how to implement it..? Do we still need to keep shlepping to the polling station we could introduce an electronic system of voting known as "Direct Democracy". If you can trust your computer or mobile phone with your money via the online banking system, you can cast your vote at an election.
I've been sold this idea by one of our Rejoiner students - Thank you Flak Magnet - any issue could be proposed, debated and voted on inside, say, a three month period electronically under DD. More of this as the discussion develops.
A tiered electronic voting system for local, regional and national issues is very much do-able and the only real barrier to that now is the inertia of the political class who like expenses, being kowtowed to and appearing on TV.
Britain really could lead the world for once with a sensibly thought through, and technically sound, Direct Democracy and in fact it would be a hell of a lot closer to genuine democracy than the nonsense we see now of governments being voted in and immediately sticking two fingers up the electorate with their "See yez in five years" attitude.
The money saved in one year on the appallingly inefficient and corrupt secretariat we are burdened with as a small country would more than adequately pay for a system of Direct Democracy where everybody gets to debate and vote issue by issue.