My democracy

[Jim Hawkins]

This is how I would like to see our democracy changed:-

1 To be eligible to vote, a citizen must satisfy three requirements :-

  a) Have attained an acceptable minimum standard of education 

  b) Have been continuously resident in the country for at least two years prior to the

     election date.

  c) Have no record of serious criminality or of continuing serious mental illness..

 

2. To be eligible to stand as a candidate in an election, a citizen must :-

  a) Have attained an acceptable higher standard of education

  b) Have been continuously resident in the country for at least three years prior to the

     election date.

  c) Have no record of serious criminality or of continuing serious mental illness.. 

  d) Affirm his or her allegiance to the parliament and to the country.

 

3. Parliament shall consist of :-

  a) A lower chamber of elected members, who will comprise the sole law-making body.

      The Speaker (or whichever of his deputies is presiding) to have a casting vote.

  b) An upper chamber of appointed members, whose purpose will be to scrutinize all

      legislation and to recommend changes, additions and deletions as it thinks fit. Members

      of the upper chamber will be appointed by a panel of the 50 most senior academic

      professors currently in post at British universities, and who will meet not less frequently

      than once per year to reconsider the membership of the upper chamber.

 

4. Elections:

  a) All persons wishing and eligible to vote must do so in person on the day of the election.

  b) Postal voting will not be permitted.

  c) Electors will vote for their first and second preference candidates and against their least  

     preferred candidate. An appropriate system of vote re-allocation will determine the winner

     where this becomes necessary.

 

5.  Referendums:

    a) Referendums will not be permitted.

 

 

Jim Hawkins