Open Up Politics » in the media http://blog.openupnow.org Just another WordPress weblog Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:38:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Conservative discontent over ‘unintended consequences’ of open primaries http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/12/11/conservative-discontent-over-%e2%80%98unintended-consequences%e2%80%99-of-open-primaries/ http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/12/11/conservative-discontent-over-%e2%80%98unintended-consequences%e2%80%99-of-open-primaries/#comments Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:38:02 +0000 admin http://blog.openupnow.org/?p=389 An article in the Times this week highlighted the ongoing debate over Tory ‘open’ primaries noting the dismay of some Tory MP’s at the ‘unintended consequences’ of the selection method. The discontent stems from Congleton where last weekend Fiona Bruce, head of a community law firm in Warrington, triumphed over Mathew Hancock, Mr Osborne’s chief of staff.

As most herald the success of all-postal ballots the loosening of control over candidate choice has predictably ruffled some feathers. The argument though largely dismissed in the case of Congleton is that open primaries are vulnerable to particular interest groups an accusation not supported by research or the Open Up campaign!

In Congleton out of 220 participants, 35 members of Fiona Bruce’s local church took part in the primary leading to one Shadow Minister’s fear of religious groups mobilising support:

“We do not want the Tory Party to become like the Republican Party in this respect”.

]]> http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/12/11/conservative-discontent-over-%e2%80%98unintended-consequences%e2%80%99-of-open-primaries/feed/ 0 Politics’ Drift Beyond Satire http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/11/09/politics-drift-beyond-satire/ http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/11/09/politics-drift-beyond-satire/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 10:47:30 +0000 admin http://blog.openupnow.org/?p=283 _MG_2069Legendary comedy producer and Open Up’s very own man behind the Tales From The Duck House films, John Lloyd, had an eloquent post published on the Guardian’s Comment is Free blog this weekend.

Politics’ Drift Beyond Satire begins with the following astute observation: 

“The idea that politicians are not honest comes as a shock. It’s so surprising, in fact, that it’s not even funny: satire works because it plays on people’s preconceptions. “

Continuing in that vein, John carefully sets up and lays out the case for open primaries.

It’s generated a lot of debate so far, why not head over and join in?

]]> http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/11/09/politics-drift-beyond-satire/feed/ 0 Peter Bennett-Jones talks Open Primaries http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/10/26/peter-bennett-jones-talks-open-primaries/ http://blog.openupnow.org/2009/10/26/peter-bennett-jones-talks-open-primaries/#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:26:57 +0000 Becky http://blog.openupnow.org/?p=153 Over the weekend, the Guardian’s Comment is Free published a piece by Peter Bennett-Jones on why he backs the Open Up campaign, and how comedy (of the sort employed in the Open Up videos) can lead to public engagement and real change.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Peter is chair of Comic Relief. He writes:

“When Comic Relief was started in the 1980s, it faced similar challenges about engaging people. People knew and were moved by the heart-breaking effect desperate poverty and environmental challenges were having on their fellow men and women at home and abroad. They saw it, in some form or another, every day on the news. But they felt powerless as individuals to change the situation. Back then, people questioned the juxtaposition of comedy with serious issues, the seamless televisual segue from stand-up to starvation. But experience has shown that, done right, the power of entertainment to engage people to think deeper about issues that are of common concern and to act in concert to address them can work and work well. Comic Relief has played a vital part in changing the attitude of a generation towards their own ability to change their world.

The Open Up campaign hopes to harness this power once again.”

You can read the full piece here.

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