The first non-negotiable for anyone standing on a Blue Revolution ticket is the commitment to support a policy which limits the power of the elite. This is what President Trump says he wants to do, but will never be able to do … but here in the UK we believe we are mature and flexible enough as a democracy to do it. This is how it works.

In the UK. there are about 12,000 elected representatives at every administrative level above parish council. These people or councillors, come from every walk of life and unlike Westminster MP’s generally don’t go through a rigorous two-day selection process that weeds out eccentrics and potential trouble makers. These people connect with local communities, reflect local communities, and respect local communities. They need to have a voice and not as a party member but as a member of their respective community first and foremost. The party-political system works in the interests of bureaucracies known as parties and this takes away the sense that politicians work on behalf of the people. Political parties are a microcosm of the state itself. The modern state reflects an exclusive system that existed even before working class men had the vote.

When some members of the “liberal elite” identify a democratic deficit (large numbers of people not voting in elections for example) which suggests we are not as democratic as they would like to pretend we are, their solution is to extend the franchise to sixteen year olds. This is a confidence trick. Having more people voting for the same tired old eighteenth century system is not the answer. It is all very well throwing aside some eighteenth-century beliefs like homophobia, but preserving eighteenth century institutions, so that the elite can preserve their own status and position is hypocrisy in the first degree.

The answer to this issue is relatively simple. If you look at parliament you will observe people sitting; some speaking and some merely observing proceedings. In the community, there will be people who would make valid contributions but can’t as they don’t sit in parliament. The solution is to create what we call a legislative college. This idea is technology backed and allows any “elected member” from lower administrations to “come in” on a parliamentary debate. Their image projected onto a screen that can be televised in the house and on “parliament today”. The MP for the area will have some real competition from “lower tier” authority members and will need to ensure that their profile is maintained if they are to preserve their seat. All excellent for democracy.

Opponents will say it will make governing impossible. Rubbish! It makes the executive more accountable. The composition of government will still be drawn from the composition in the House of Commons and whilst we do see the possibility of extending the “parliamentary” vote to include “lower tier” members, in the first phase it will simply be a video linked “right to be heard”.

To develop this idea….which we are told is technologically very possible and get it past the “elite”, we will need to have a Blue Revolution. It is the first plank of our revolutionary agenda. Ultimately it will mean for example that no government can take us to war by relying on a supine and docile parliament and no government can escape the reality of its policies on the ground. It won’t, as will be claimed by the elite, simply be a green light to the awkward squad, as for every person criticising, for example welfare cuts, there will be someone supporting reform of a system which is well beyond its sell by date.

Manifesto pledge number one is therefore a Legislative college giving power to more people.

Next – Contract, Choice and Consent