Comments on: Opinion: Time to listen to the people http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html Our place to talk - an independent website for supporters of the Liberal Democrat party in the UK. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 01:13:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: James Graham http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29517 James Graham Thu, 13 Sep 2007 00:17:15 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29517 Quick update: having got the requisite number of supporters for the amendment, I submitted it on Wednesday morning. Thanks for your support. Quick update: having got the requisite number of supporters for the amendment, I submitted it on Wednesday morning. Thanks for your support.

]]> By: Charlie Marks http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29408 Charlie Marks Tue, 11 Sep 2007 21:28:33 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29408 No, but it does create potential future institutions of an independent nation state and hold off reactionary forms of nationalism by correcting a percieved injustice... No, but it does create potential future institutions of an independent nation state and hold off reactionary forms of nationalism by correcting a percieved injustice…

]]> By: Benjamin Mathis http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29371 Benjamin Mathis Tue, 11 Sep 2007 09:51:54 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29371 How can you back devolution for England AND an English parliament? Transferring power from the level of 60 million people to 50 million people doesn't even remotely resemble useful devolution. How can you back devolution for England AND an English parliament? Transferring power from the level of 60 million people to 50 million people doesn’t even remotely resemble useful devolution.

]]> By: Charlie Marks http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29366 Charlie Marks Tue, 11 Sep 2007 04:39:10 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29366 I don't mind elected regional assemblies, so if Kent wanted a regional assembly, cool. I keep telling you, I am a drawbridge down person... you don't sound as if you believe me. I think the priority at the moment is devolution for England -- so yes, I am pleased that it is being taken seriously by the Liberal Democrats. Given the unequal devolution - an injustice I abhor - and given that Scotland and Wales are moving towards independence - something which i support - there has to be an English parliament in place to preside over the formation of an English state and to help cultivate an inclusive English national identity. The demand for an English parliament is separate from the question of the breakup of britain -- and one might argue without an English parliament, there is less chance of the Union transforming into a federal system -- and can also encompass electoral and constitutional reform. Getting back to my question about a constitutional assembly. I think elections to such a body would be more credible than sortition - the fear would be that the process could be distorted. I don’t mind elected regional assemblies, so if Kent wanted a regional assembly, cool. I keep telling you, I am a drawbridge down person… you don’t sound as if you believe me.

I think the priority at the moment is devolution for England — so yes, I am pleased that it is being taken seriously by the Liberal Democrats.

Given the unequal devolution – an injustice I abhor – and given that Scotland and Wales are moving towards independence – something which i support – there has to be an English parliament in place to preside over the formation of an English state and to help cultivate an inclusive English national identity.

The demand for an English parliament is separate from the question of the breakup of britain — and one might argue without an English parliament, there is less chance of the Union transforming into a federal system — and can also encompass electoral and constitutional reform.

Getting back to my question about a constitutional assembly. I think elections to such a body would be more credible than sortition – the fear would be that the process could be distorted.

]]> By: James Graham http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29352 James Graham Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:40:26 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29352 You will no doubt be pleased that the policy paper we just passed holds out the possibility for an English Parliament, although it holds open the possibility of regional government as well. As for the latter being rejected, the only place that happened was in the North East, and the only system on offer doesn't even vaguely resemble what any Lib Dem would support as it was a proposal for centralisation, not devolution. Your problem is, what if the people of Kent (never mind some easy to discount appendage such as Cornwall) demanded, at the very least, secondary legislative powers such as those currently invested in Wales? Under the Lib Dems' new local governance policy paper, that would be permissible; yet if counties and collections of counties started going around demanding such levels of devolution, the case for an English Parliament would be fatally weakened. Why should their rights to self-determination be dismissed simply because they don't call themselves a "nation"? You will no doubt be pleased that the policy paper we just passed holds out the possibility for an English Parliament, although it holds open the possibility of regional government as well.

As for the latter being rejected, the only place that happened was in the North East, and the only system on offer doesn’t even vaguely resemble what any Lib Dem would support as it was a proposal for centralisation, not devolution.

Your problem is, what if the people of Kent (never mind some easy to discount appendage such as Cornwall) demanded, at the very least, secondary legislative powers such as those currently invested in Wales? Under the Lib Dems’ new local governance policy paper, that would be permissible; yet if counties and collections of counties started going around demanding such levels of devolution, the case for an English Parliament would be fatally weakened. Why should their rights to self-determination be dismissed simply because they don’t call themselves a “nation”?

]]> By: Charlie Marks http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29348 Charlie Marks Mon, 10 Sep 2007 22:33:19 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29348 "So you think an English Parliament should be imposed on people and they shouldn’t have a chance to say no?" No, as I said, I'm a "drawbridge down" person -- I'd like to see it put to the people in a referendum, as happened in Wales and Scotland. And if the people of Cornwall would like devolution, that'd be cool too. I think, given the level of support for an English parliament, it should at least be a consideration for your party -- and as there has been public rejection of elected regional assemblies, it is the natural solution to the constitutional imbalance caused by unequal devolution. I hear that there's some support for an English parliament within the Liberal Democrats, highest ranking being Simon Hughes. “So you think an English Parliament should be imposed on people and they shouldn’t have a chance to say no?”

No, as I said, I’m a “drawbridge down” person — I’d like to see it put to the people in a referendum, as happened in Wales and Scotland. And if the people of Cornwall would like devolution, that’d be cool too.

I think, given the level of support for an English parliament, it should at least be a consideration for your party — and as there has been public rejection of elected regional assemblies, it is the natural solution to the constitutional imbalance caused by unequal devolution.

I hear that there’s some support for an English parliament within the Liberal Democrats, highest ranking being Simon Hughes.

]]> By: James Graham http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29292 James Graham Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:23:47 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29292 So you think an English Parliament should be imposed on people and they shouldn't have a chance to say no? As for the reason for sortition, it is to ensure that the process isn't dominated by idealogues who have already made up their minds. It's a system that is being used increasingly around the world, most notably in Canada to review electoral systems. Either way, its decisions would be ratified by a referendum. So you think an English Parliament should be imposed on people and they shouldn’t have a chance to say no?

As for the reason for sortition, it is to ensure that the process isn’t dominated by idealogues who have already made up their minds. It’s a system that is being used increasingly around the world, most notably in Canada to review electoral systems. Either way, its decisions would be ratified by a referendum.

]]> By: Charlie Marks http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29280 Charlie Marks Mon, 10 Sep 2007 01:37:36 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29280 As a "drawbridge down" person, I would like to see the liberals backing an English parliament with proportional representation and provision for citizen-initiated referenda... Why not have elections to a constitutional assembly? Why the random selection? As a “drawbridge down” person, I would like to see the liberals backing an English parliament with proportional representation and provision for citizen-initiated referenda…

Why not have elections to a constitutional assembly? Why the random selection?

]]> By: Letters From A Tory http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29261 Letters From A Tory Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:13:03 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29261 Some nice ideas in here, although it's a shame the Lib Dems don't have a good enough media machine to get the public talking about these issues. Surely getting that sorted is more important than policy initiatives? Some nice ideas in here, although it’s a shame the Lib Dems don’t have a good enough media machine to get the public talking about these issues. Surely getting that sorted is more important than policy initiatives?

]]> By: mary reid http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29253 mary reid Sun, 09 Sep 2007 13:44:43 +0000 http://www.libdemvoice.org/opinion-time-to-listen-to-the-people-1292.html#comment-29253 I fully support the amendment. The best place to develop good Liberal Democrat methods of participation is in local government, especially where we control councils. It's not just a dream for the future - we have hard evidence in places like Kingston that we can make it work. I fully support the amendment. The best place to develop good Liberal Democrat methods of participation is in local government, especially where we control councils. It’s not just a dream for the future – we have hard evidence in places like Kingston that we can make it work.

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