A New Movement?

Daniel Hannan posts on the launch of a new movement: Direct Democracy, yet these papers were originally published a couple of years ago and were the forerunner of 'The Plan'. Not that, you understand, am I denigrating the idea - far from it, as this is surely the way in which politicians will be forced to serve the people in stark contrast to the system presently suffered whereby the people serve the politicians.

There is talk in the media and blogosphere with regard to the ConLib coalition failing due to 'fall-out' between the Tories and LibDems and while this may have an element of truth I feel the 'fall-out' will be within the Tory Party as their MPs are, it would seem, far from content with Call Me Dave's 'sell-out' to the LibDems, coupled with the 'ditching' of some core Tory policies. There is also the 'EU factor' to be taken into consideration with more and more people becoming disillusioned with the manner laws are set by Brussels over which our politicians have no control.

It is worth noting that Lord Pearson of Rannoch has given notice of a number of questions he intends raising, probably one of the most interesting is a repeat of one he has raised previously. He posts on this one question, among many, that he intens raising: "Lord Pearson of Rannoch to ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will commission an independent cost-benefit analysis of the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union." He continues that "We await HMG's response, especially to the last one. Will this government tell us as previous ones did that benefits are too numerous to enumerate?" On previous occasions the response has always been that the benefits are self-evident (which is a cop-out) and it will be intriguing to see, in this new era of 'open politics' whether Call Me Dave and NickNick decide to 'bottle' this as well.

Within the theme of decentralising state control and returning power to the individual - which is what Direct Democracy is about - Gerald Warner has a good post (as usual) in which he writes that "The power of the state is now the largest single burden on humanity in the developed nations....." and it is that burden from which we in Britain must free ourselves - if democracy is to mean anything - because the alternative is continued servitude by the people to the political class.

As one of the commenters on Daniel Hannan's post writes (Bionic Raspberry) "As you acknowledge, talk is cheap. I am in complete agreement with “An Englishman’s Viewpoint” (which is me, by the way) above.......What is needed Dan is good, old fashioned, charismatic leadership and I remain to be convinced that either you or Douglas Carswell can provide that leadership if it sets you directly against the leadership of your own party. I doubt too that either of you have the determination to set aside your MP/MEP salaries and all the perks and comforts that comes with them to stand up and say what really needs to be said." This last comment about determination is my one fear that this 'new' movement will come to naught as it will need Carswell and Hannan to put themselves in danger of losing the Tory Whip through their outspokenness. It may even be necessary that the formation of a new political party is required, one that pulls together the 'right-wing' of the Tory Party and Ukip, because what Carswell and Hannan are promoting can probably best be described as 'right-wing (as in nation state & self-government) libertarianism (as in Direct Democracy)'.

Interesting times in the political field lie ahead, methinks, as this idea of Hannan & Carswsell will require them - if it is to succeed - to 'put-up or shut-up'.