Most of those registered to vote do not want a Conservative Government, yet they keep getting elected! How does this happen? Democracy campaigner and author of The Tory Winning Machine, Adam Herriott, explores the reasons. Part one of a two-part blog The Conservative Party has always been the party of the rich and powerful. They operate to form governments that defend …
Continue readingThe former Shadow Chancellor, John McDonnell MP, addressed a packed room at our event to promote proportional representation at the TUC Congress in Liverpool. A growing number of unions are now backing a proportional voting system (PR) because they can see the current system isn’t working for working people. Most recently public service workers union Unison and shop workers union …
Continue readingIn the 1997 general election Tony Blair decided Labour wouldn’t stand a candidate against the Independent anti-corruption candidate Martin Bell in the Tatton constituency in Cheshire. Neither did the Lib Dems in what was the 4th safest Tory seat in the UK at the time. The tactic to rid the constituency of the incumbent Tory Neil Hamilton, who was entangled …
Continue readingIn his recent speech at the GMB conference, Keir Starmer mentioned the words “working people” 22 times – pledging to put the fight for working people as Labour’s “driving purpose”. He highlighted Labour’s commitment to serving the interests of working people and expressed his desire to make the Labour Party the natural home for them. However, one crucial aspect that …
Continue readingThe good news is that you now have more choice than ever before, but let’s take a step back before we get to the list of unions that support proportional representation (PR). A strong, collective voice is at the heart of every successful trade union. A trade union’s power comes from having a united membership, who are clear about what …
Continue readingThe trade union movement has always led demands for greater democracy, empowering working people and communities, and offering a different vision of society. Today, that demand for greater democracy is vital and urgent. The powerful levers of the state are being used to undo rights and freedoms, give jobs and contracts to cronies, and attack minorities. We need to rewire the …
Continue readingIn the Commons, the prevalence of ‘safe seats’ under Westminster’s First Past the Post voting system, means that once a seat is in an MP’s hands, it may be their’s for decades. It’s no wonder so many people feel disengaged from politics – in hundreds of seats, only one candidate seems to stand a chance. This has the dual negative …
Continue readingThis week, the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) joined the growing list of trade unions that back proportional representation. USDAW voted in favour of a motion committing it to support a change in the electoral system at its 76th Annual Delegate Meeting (ADM) on the 25th April. The motion was moved by Phil Crooks from the Home …
Continue readingLast month saw the publication of the latest IPCC report. The message coming from scientists is clear: We need to dramatically reduce carbon emissions to prevent climate breakdown, and action needs to be taken now. We know that the Tories can’t be trusted to do what’s needed. During their thirteen years in government, they have failed to meaningfully advance climate objectives. …
Continue readingI want you to take a trip in the Tardis with me. Hop in whilst I press the button for 2006 and let’s get going. We open the doors to find it’s September, we’re in Manchester and it’s raining. We join hundreds of people with hoods up or huddled under umbrellas, heading over to the G-Mex Convention Centre for the …
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