Follow the progress of the Open Up campaign
Welcome to Open Up.
We are campaigning for an honest, effective and modern democracy; a government of the best possible people, who truly represent us.
We want Open Primaries in every constituency, where the people select their own candidates, and where anyone can put themselves forward to be a candidate.
When do we want to see this reform? By the next parliament, that’s when and to make sure this happens we need your support. Sign our petition, watch our videos to find out why we want to reform the current political system.
We’re going to be blogging throughout the campaign and talking to a range of people to hear their opinions on political reform, from celebrities, to political experts and you, the great British public. We want to hear what you think about the campaign and how you can help us achieve our goals.
This is the space on the website where you can follow the campaign’s progress and stay up-to-date on key campaign issues and news.
1Edward Devoy
wrote on 16 November 2009 at 14:29
After reading about your campaign for open primaries we came up with this vision of the future for politics in the UK.
Edward and Tony Devoy 2010 June Election
Barnsley Borough
Toward a better future
Changing politics for the better for we the people:
Because of the way politicians, since what appears to be time immemorial have ignored the electorate and have worked only for their own enrichment, culminating in the expenses scandal, we have decided to put ourselves forward to represent and act on behalf of we the people.
In order to show to those who do not normally vote as well as to those who do, that we are not typical politicians:
On being elected, we will start our own charity to assist individuals and smaller community groups who are presently ignored by the local authority.
Throughout our term in Parliament we will contribute half of our individual income into the charity.
Effectively we will work for half the money that our current MP’s believe is not enough for them to manage on.
We will not do what political Parties now do in their election manifesto’s, promise the world and deliver nothing.
We will bring politics to the individual and everyone will be able to change the way things are done in the Barnsley Borough and Nationally and ensure the wishes of we the people are paramount.
We will have an official presence on the web, where people can put forward their ideas that will enhance the lives of all in the Barnsley Borough for the benefit of we the people.
The people of Barnsley will be able to vote on the ideas put forward and we as the representatives of the people will act on the will of we the people, bringing Democracy where once it did not exist.
For instance, on a local level, if someone was to suggest that Council tax should be halved to bring it to a reasonable level, we the people would vote and if the vote was unanimous, As representatives of we the people we would canvass the local authority to act on the will of the people and would name and shame any elected councillor or civil servant acting against the will of we the people. The people working in opposition to we the people would by consensus of the people be removed from their positions.
After all he who pays the piper should call the tune.
Unlike at present where the Council dictate often in an oppressive manner to we the people.
We will put the power where it should be, in the hands of we the people.
On a National level, if someone was to put forward abolition of the TV licence fee. If the vote was unanimous. We would canvas Parliament to carry out the wishes of we the people, if Parliament was to refuse, we would then start a nationwide campaign if enough votes were cast and Parliament made the decision not to act, we would then call for civil disobedience on the basis that the Government of the day was acting against the will of we the people.
In a true Democracy Government is by the people for the people.
At all times people would be able to vote against changes of these sorts and would be able to put forward their own ideas, we the people would have what we have never had in this Country, Democracy.
This would I am sure cause many problems in the political arena, but nothing that could not be sorted.
It would empower we the people.
Those who now feel disaffected and those who suffer from political apathy would now have a voice, they would not feel their vote was a wasted vote.
It would breathe new life into the political strata of life and politics would no longer be the preserve of the elite for their own benefit to the detriment of we the people.
It is time to take away the power of politics from the politicians and give it to the people to whom it belongs.