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Britain’s two-party political system isn’t working Britain’s two-party political system isn’t working
(4 months later)
The debates prompted by the Panama Papers, while usefully illuminating the extraordinary corruption of many foreign leaders, may have distracted us from the real problem in Britain. Unlike in Russia or China, the corruption in British politics does not stem from those in power abusing their position for personal enrichment. Instead, it comes from the structure of our decaying political system. Propped up by money from vested interests, the rigid two-party straitjacket has left the UK with a malfunctioning democracy and led to widespread public disillusionment.The debates prompted by the Panama Papers, while usefully illuminating the extraordinary corruption of many foreign leaders, may have distracted us from the real problem in Britain. Unlike in Russia or China, the corruption in British politics does not stem from those in power abusing their position for personal enrichment. Instead, it comes from the structure of our decaying political system. Propped up by money from vested interests, the rigid two-party straitjacket has left the UK with a malfunctioning democracy and led to widespread public disillusionment.
It doesn’t have to be this way. It’s clear that people are looking for a new kind of politics that goes beyond traditional party lines: a politics first and foremost of engagement and transparency, not reducible to the old left-right divide.It doesn’t have to be this way. It’s clear that people are looking for a new kind of politics that goes beyond traditional party lines: a politics first and foremost of engagement and transparency, not reducible to the old left-right divide.
The barriers to political participation must be removed and the stranglehold of the big party machines brokenThe barriers to political participation must be removed and the stranglehold of the big party machines broken
After leaving David Cameron’s staff and moving to California in 2012, I founded a tech startup – Crowdpac – to give American voters the tools and information to help build a better democracy, and now we’re bringing the site to the UK. My background may be on the right of politics but this is not a party-political endeavour, and will be led by one of Britain’s leading leftwing campaigners Paul Hilder (previously of 38 Degrees, Change.org, the Labour party and other movements).After leaving David Cameron’s staff and moving to California in 2012, I founded a tech startup – Crowdpac – to give American voters the tools and information to help build a better democracy, and now we’re bringing the site to the UK. My background may be on the right of politics but this is not a party-political endeavour, and will be led by one of Britain’s leading leftwing campaigners Paul Hilder (previously of 38 Degrees, Change.org, the Labour party and other movements).
Change is long overdue. In the 1950s, politics was simpler. Workers voted Labour, the middle class and the wealthy voted Conservative. About 90% of votes went to one of these two parties. But by 2015, the combined total had dropped to just over two-thirds. Voters today are searching for new options beyond the two-party model.Change is long overdue. In the 1950s, politics was simpler. Workers voted Labour, the middle class and the wealthy voted Conservative. About 90% of votes went to one of these two parties. But by 2015, the combined total had dropped to just over two-thirds. Voters today are searching for new options beyond the two-party model.
In today’s age of nearly unlimited information, our world views are nuanced and sophisticated, but our creaking democratic processes struggle to reflect this. Where do you go if you are a Conservative on the economy, a Green on the environment, Labour on social justice, Liberal Democrat on human rights? That is not an unusual combination. But Westminster politics still pushes a false, binary simplicity.In today’s age of nearly unlimited information, our world views are nuanced and sophisticated, but our creaking democratic processes struggle to reflect this. Where do you go if you are a Conservative on the economy, a Green on the environment, Labour on social justice, Liberal Democrat on human rights? That is not an unusual combination. But Westminster politics still pushes a false, binary simplicity.
This is where the corruption comes in, because the principal barrier to a more open and diverse politics in the UK is money. Thankfully, it plays a far lesser role in Britain than America – where money from fundraising Super Pacs dominates campaigning. But even here, you need cash to stand for office, to run a campaign, to get elected. Who can afford to do that? Only the centralised party organisations. And where do they get their money? The same old sectoral interests – the financial industry on the right and the unions on left.This is where the corruption comes in, because the principal barrier to a more open and diverse politics in the UK is money. Thankfully, it plays a far lesser role in Britain than America – where money from fundraising Super Pacs dominates campaigning. But even here, you need cash to stand for office, to run a campaign, to get elected. Who can afford to do that? Only the centralised party organisations. And where do they get their money? The same old sectoral interests – the financial industry on the right and the unions on left.
Related: Time for decent Tories to speak up. Our democracy is being rigged | Owen Jones
Even if an independent candidate does get on the ballot, it’s next to impossible for voters to discover that there might be someone outside the two-party system who genuinely matches their views.Even if an independent candidate does get on the ballot, it’s next to impossible for voters to discover that there might be someone outside the two-party system who genuinely matches their views.
This is what we hope to change with Crowdpac. The first, very basic version will include a “political matchmaker” that gives you a personal political map and shows voters in London the mayoral candidates closest to their views. But ultimately we will be introducing crowdfunding tools designed for political action, to empower people to fund the change they want to see rather than just taking what they’re given by the political establishment. This has already been used in the US by one of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement to crowdfund his campaign to be mayor of Baltimore, and by anti-Trump Republicans running a campaign to draft House speaker Paul Ryan to run for president.This is what we hope to change with Crowdpac. The first, very basic version will include a “political matchmaker” that gives you a personal political map and shows voters in London the mayoral candidates closest to their views. But ultimately we will be introducing crowdfunding tools designed for political action, to empower people to fund the change they want to see rather than just taking what they’re given by the political establishment. This has already been used in the US by one of the leaders of the Black Lives Matter movement to crowdfund his campaign to be mayor of Baltimore, and by anti-Trump Republicans running a campaign to draft House speaker Paul Ryan to run for president.
If we’re ever going to see the kind of modern, responsive and open-minded politics that people are crying out for, we have to break the grip of the party machines and get more independent, and independent-minded, candidates elected to office, at every level of government. But such candidates face enormous obstacles. Only parties have the muscle to win most elections, and party insiders control candidate selections tightly.If we’re ever going to see the kind of modern, responsive and open-minded politics that people are crying out for, we have to break the grip of the party machines and get more independent, and independent-minded, candidates elected to office, at every level of government. But such candidates face enormous obstacles. Only parties have the muscle to win most elections, and party insiders control candidate selections tightly.
The barriers to political participation must be removed and the stranglehold of the big party machines broken, so that the power can be taken out of the hands of the insiders, the moneyed interests and the Westminster power brokers – and put where it belongs: in the hands of the people.The barriers to political participation must be removed and the stranglehold of the big party machines broken, so that the power can be taken out of the hands of the insiders, the moneyed interests and the Westminster power brokers – and put where it belongs: in the hands of the people.