Editor’s Note: This piece is a continuation of a subject published right here on Independence Daily last week.
Firstly thank you all for the many responses and encouragement, they gave me a lot of food for thought.
Inevitably there was a lot of reference to Ukip & Reform and that highlights an issue that has always bothered me about Ukip, namely the management conflicts between the NEC & Leadership which has always reminded me of the relationship between a football club owner and the manager. Reform is considerably more streamlined of course but through appointments rather than any democratic influences.
For LMI I envisage a much simpler organisation because the input will come (hopefully) from people like yourselves. Democracy in action if you choose to contribute. Its only purpose is to collate ideas and provide support, to allow Independents to collaborate and stand out, rather than stand alone. Whether they choose to is another matter. However the usual approach of splinter Parties is a list of what they would like to do differently, which the vast majority pretty much ignore, and they fail because they work alone against the might of the ConLab establishment.
The logic behind LMI is simple and two-fold;
1. to build a portfolio of shared political objectives, and
2. to provide a common platform for the public’s recognition, to challenge that ConLab establishment head on, and make the independent vote worthwhile.
Of course, that will take money and organisation including a website but with sufficient support I suggest it could prove to be a lot more popular electorally and give “the blonde potato” and others something to really worry about, especially if we ever start talking about consequences and as supporters, can work collaboratively, contacting letters pages for example.
What kind of party claims that sexually active under-aged girls are making an informed choice? That they should keep quiet for the sake of diversity? That cannot stand up to woke protestors, or BLM. Perhaps more to the point, what kind of spineless or twisted people do they attract? I’ve noted two shockers from Labour but I don’t regard the Tories as any better – I just cannot think of any good examples from the other side right now, other than their rampant corruption and the emasculation of Parliament.
One area I really do think is worth dwelling on is Common Purpose and in particular what we have lost through it. The passage between the Dixon of Dock Green era and Cressida Dick’s modern Police Force. We can all see the results of Common Purpose – and anything promoted by the B liar, they are the kind of wrongs that I’d like to see us seek to right, rather than just blindly accept the future direction of travel while grumbling in the wings. I want my kids to have a decent future.
Simple statements of what we all want would be a great start and any help would be gratefully received. I will attempt to collate and categorise sensibly. A few opening gambits;
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keep our statues safe, take pride in our history, respect for UK values and the current lack of consequences if you don’t like the rules – ie. do one. (The appalling business at Batley school a case in point.) Putin is very specific about keeping Russia Russian. I suggest we like-minded Brits do the same.
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Secure borders, controlled immigration, gender equality, safe streets,
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an unbiased BBC. I’m not sure we can do much about the feeble MSM other than recommend The Spectator but I’m sure you can all think of plenty more things currently threatened that we would like to preserve or bring back.
And here’s another thought, if Independents stand under our banner then betray it on the hustings, let us help their opponents destroy them.
One LMI political opportunity I want to highlight here is the one engaging just about everybody right now, how Covid has been handled by gov‘t (ie. badly) and the almost total lack of Parliamentary opposition, the same House Viv frequently refers to as the House of Ghosts (when not peacocking). I am NOT suggesting it is the only opportunity but I am suggesting it’s a very good example of what we could aim for if LMI can be made to work.
There is a very timely letter in this week‘s Spectator called ‘Starmer’s Failure’ (see here), responding to the idea that Kier Starmer has decided to ‘suspend normal political combat‘ (for a year!) because of Covid. The net result has been no effective opposition except from a few Tory backbenchers such as Desmond Swayne.
The handling of Covid is the one big issue that has finally forced influential people to speak out and there is plenty of criticism from figures in the media, Andrew Neil, Peter Hitchens, NF, Lockdown Sceptics, UK Column, UNN, and other disciplines, Lord Sumption, The Great Barrington Declaration and NHS whistleblowers to name a few. There is much to criticise and the letter writer obviously agrees because he goes on to say ‘surely the reverse is true‘, that because no prominent party (or political force) has questioned lockdown, voters are frightened into believing it is the only way…etc.
I‘m suggesting LMI could become that force – beyond Covid I mean – if we can focus on the wrongs that we want to right, and provide sufficient attraction for Independent candidates to want to support it. No baggage of a Party name or need for registration with the Electoral Commission, no political Klingons, the type that now swarm around the Reform Party trying to justify their existence. Just a lot of idea contributors and a small core of people with a sufficient income stream to create and support the LMI vehicle and in due course attract Independent candidates, nationally if not locally, to help make their presence more widely known. With a core agenda we all agree on.
One simple common Purpose : stop paying for access to a corona closed market .
Do I hear any support ?
ReformUK, ie. the rebranded Brexit Party is, ironically, effectively employing the Leninist principle of ‘democratic centralism’, whereby all policy and control emanates from the leadership. That’s hardly surprising considering it’s organised more like a private company than a democratic political party. However, there is something of a real-world example of LMI in the world, and that’s France, where the Front National (now ‘National Rally’) was created as an umbrella organisation to unify the various splintered conservative-right candidates. This tactic has proven to be successful, wconsidering that the FN/NR has effectively replaced the Socialist Party as the second political force that is now preparing to challenge the discredited Rothschild man,Emmanuel Macron.
Now look at the forthcoming GLC elections, whereby a multitude of (ostensibly) independant right-wing opposition candidates are seeking to replace Sadiq Khan. Even with the second preference vote, the opposition will still be badly split, leading to Khan’s more-than-likely re-election. The same is likely to happen in forthcoming elections, both national and local, thereby destroying any successful progress to the top. To this effect, LMI may be the solution, but only as long as egos are prepared to control themselves for the sake of the greater good.
IanPB I have the same worry as you about the forthcoming election for London Mayor. I’d like Kurten to win but there are too many after the job.
If only they could get their heads together, decide on one candidate and all work for him.
A political party needs to be led by it’s elected leader, not a committee. (Which of course is where UKIP fell down.)
Blimey you sound like somebody else talking about committees and UKIP, but you are right, a leader of a political party should be elected not appointed. You cant preach about reforming democracy in the country if your own party is undemocratic. The whole thing doesn’t make any sense.
He does doesn’t he Colin. And Harry Again seems to have changed his personality lately. I’m agreeing with him sometimes!
OK Colin. Like UKIP elected its leaders you mean. Democratically.! Or by the ability to ditch its leaders. Or any other ability or lack of it.
That posted before I had finished.
Democracy is OK as long as it is commonly understood to be ‘ a good thing ‘, and everyone accepts it. but it can very soon become a step to something else. ( Hitler ) So less shallow consideration must be given.
… the Spectator Australia is a robust alternative to the small c, supposedly Conservative, reportage going on up in the Northern hemisphere … it is worth a look.
Alan Piper. I wish you well. You have a very good idea that just might work.
Assuming we actually do get back to a, House of Commons, instead of the present House of Ghosts, a very large number of Independents, hopefully wanting Independent Liberty and less State Control, would Have to Be taken into consideration by whoever WAS in control. Well hopefully any way. A vote of no confidence in the Government, should topple it with a simple majority of the votes, as it used to be.
Looking way into the future though, beyond my lifetime probably, There maybe some practical problems.
I do want the system to remain one of Government (i.e. Executive) on the one side and Opposition on the other.
It would not matter if the opposition were not in agreement, they would band together to vote the Government out (all looking for the main chance) if necessary, then fight amongst themselves, at an election.
But if you are aiming for ALL MP’s to be Independents. Political Parties virtually abolished. Well, how could a Government be formed?
We must have an Executive. To put it rather naively, How would the Monarch know who to call to the Palace and ask to form a government?
The Reform UK way of going about things insofar as how the party if you can call it that should be managed, is certainly NOT the way to forge ahead for a new political grouping wanting to be taken seriously. The whole set up is undemocratic and as you have said everyone is appointed into positions of authority and not elected. I was almost part of that structure, but I got increasingly exasperated with the lack of democracy and secrecy within the ‘party’, that me and others stepped down as Reform UK candidates and formed a local Independent Party which has been set up to eventually form a cooperative with other Independents wishing to go the same way. Even at this early stage we are starting to see some positive and encouraging results from our campaigning, which I am sure we wouldn’t have achieved through Reform UK.
About Richard Tice and Reform UK, a few comments. Apart from the fact that personally he just does not appeal to me,he does not inspire belief or confidence. He has been/is C.E.O. of what appear to be large businesses. Nothing wrong with that but it is hardly likely that such a person’s main ambition is a free democratic country.
Pauline…I am afraid Richard Tice does not inspire me and many others that I know either. Far too bland to be a party leader. The party he leads has no policies, and going into major local elections with no policies is an absolute no no and will ensure electoral annihilation. Reform UK had a chance to change politics for good (their strap line) but they have blown it. They should have reorganised and rebranded in 2020 and developed some workable policies, but instead sat on their hands and did the rebranding in January a few months before major election. Where is the strategy and plan?