Harvey Taylor – Zero Based Democracy

Zero -Based Democracy (Z-BD) is not a political party. It is a set of principles designed to promote responsive and representative democracy in the UK.

I am standing as an independent in the general election, in my home constituency of Bournemouth West, because I want to represent the collective views of this constituency in parliament. Zero-Based Democracy simply means building policies and principled political positions from voters upwards.

My view is that this was the original meaning of the single word ‘democracy, but now I think it is necessary to be more specific about this. My primary intention is that you, as a member of the electorate in this constituency become inspired and politically proactive by increasing opportunities to make a positive difference to your community and your country.

I believe that independent MPs are better placed to deliver a brand of democracy that is more inclusive and meaningful for ordinary people.

 Democracy should mean government by the people for the people.

I strongly believe that people have the sense and the ability to make good decisions that affect their lives. Democracy in the UK is ready for a massive surge in participation by ordinary people. Sending an MP to parliament should be only one of many different ways in which you the voter can maintain a connection between your needs and aspirations locally and the conduct of government at a national level. I am therefore proposing a significant increase in local government powers and in the democratic responsiveness and accountability of local government to the electorate.

I will demonstrate that it is both possible and desirable to run a positively focused campaign which respects the ability of voters to make decisions between candidates and policies themselves. I will adopt a relentlessly positive focus on solutions which address the needs and aspirations of all people in all situations. I have built my leadership training business on this approach and I will build my political contribution on the same basis. I believe the best form of leadership is one in which leaders continuously involve all of the people they represent.

I am therefore making a public pledge not to attack, demean, or campaign against anyone or anything. I will only campaign for and promote positive, solution-focused policies which I will evolve only with the continual and broadly based participation of all people within this constituency.

To help voters within this constituency get some sense of my own background and beliefs I have drafted a simple outline of the key things I personally want to achieve in politics. I have also summarised my personal principles. I want to emphasise, however, that the collective needs and aspirations of the people I represent are more important than my personal political ambitions and that I expect voters to judge me on my record on this.

It is clear that a huge majority of people in this country want a new kind of democratic representation.  We have fought two wars under the current government, apparently in pursuit of democratic principles. Thousands of our most courageous and inspired young people have risked and even lost their lives in pursuit of these ‘democratic’ aims over the last 8 years. I believe that if we want to honour those young people’s sacrifice and memory, we must strive to be taken more seriously about democracy across the world. I also believe that to achieve this we have to start at home by developing a far more responsive form of democracy in which everyone gets a real opportunity to contribute to and influence local and national policy in a meaningful way.

It is hard to imagine how a poorly educated, impoverished and desperate young person in Afghanistan is going to take democracy seriously when we cannot even get a credible number voters in this country to vote at election time.

If we are serious about encouraging democracy, we the people’s representatives have to behave in ways which encourage voters to believe that there is a value in voting and campaigning for their own beliefs.

I believe voters want politicians who are honest rather than perfect. I am certainly not a perfect human being, but I do strive to be truthful in a clear, simple straightforward way. When I screw up, as I inevitably will do from time to time, (being like everyone else, a good but imperfect human being), I will admit to having done so. I will also go out of my way to put things right, openly and honestly.  I will say what I think. I will be specific. I will answer questions directly, without spin because I believe the electorate are capable of taking responsible decisions without having to be in some way ’prepared’.

My aim is to massively increase the practical, hands-on, day to day democratic involvement of all people, from school age children through to the eldest people in society.

I also believe that democracy has to be rooted in communities.
Detailed here is a summary of my commitments to Zero-Based democracy and local democratic responsiveness. All of these commitments are designed to give you more of a genuine and authentic voice in both local and national politics:

1. I will make myself accessible via every conceivable channel of communication to the people whom I represent.

2.  I will not buy a second property in London or anywhere else. I will continue to live in the heart of this constituency where I have lived for the last 12 years.

3. Voters will be able to communicate directly with me, providing specific points, ideas and policy proposals on my blogs, via internet based polls and by e mail.

4. I commit to holding public meetings to debate current issues every fortnight throughout the year within the boundaries of this constituency.
5. I will propose a bill which requires parliament to provide national referenda on at least 5 topics annually. If politicians are serious about democracy they will embrace referenda as a far more common and potent way of ensuring that ordinary voters know they can have a real impact on national policies.

6. Similarly, local authorities should hold a referendum on significant decisions and especially on the local annual budget, comprised of spending and council tax options.

7. I will campaign for a significant transfer of power to local authorities. In order to make best use of these enhanced local powers, I will also propose that local authority elections become more frequent with a proportion of councillors being required to contest elections for their posts on an annual basis.

8. I will provide a simple digest of established facts relating to key political issues which includes a summary of other candidates’ positions on a monthly basis throughout my term of office in order to provide all interested voters with access to the impartial information they require to make their minds up about how they want to approach each issue.

9. I will only support a given policy in parliament after providing my constituents with every possible, [practical opportunity to comment.

10. I will promote the active engagement and involvement of young people in democratic institutions at a local level and also nationally. To this end I will launch a debate about the benefits of lowering the voting age to 16.

In addition to these commitments to extending democratic means of expression to you, I have also outlined my fundamental attitudes to some of the core political, social and economic challenges. The following bullet points provide a summary of my starting position on each core issue. This should not be seen as a manifesto. A  pre-determined manifesto would be counter to the principles of Zero-Based democracy. I am aware, however, that voters will understandably want to know my current attitudes on some of these core issues. I would emphasise however, that I will vote in accordance with the overall needs and aspirations of the local electorate and will take account of the distribution of votes across the other parties and candidates in all cases.

If there is ever a situation where I am completely opposed to what the majority of my constituents clearly want me to do, I will do the honest thing and resign so that you can make your views clear at by-election.

As an independent MP my primary loyalty is to my local electorate, not to party whips. 

 
Foreign Affairs

A remarkable success has recently taken place in Northern Ireland.  Two parties representing groups who were effectively at war with one another only a few years ago have now concluded an agreement on power sharing. What this demonstrates is that any issue, no matter how difficult can ultimately be resolved by discussion.

On this basis I will never support any individual politician or political party, in or out of government that proposes to use violence to achieve a political solution. This precludes any attack on any sovereign state for any purpose.

I also favour a more reasoned and reciprocal approach to our relationships with each and every other country across the world. I do not believe it is our responsibility or right to dictate to other countries how they are governed or defended. I believe that we will promote the spread of democracy by becoming a positive exemplar of responsive and representative democracy ourselves. I do not believe democracy can plausibly be imposed by violence which is inherently undemocratic.

 I will do anything I can to build on the special relationships that already exist between the UK and other countries and to extend special relationships to all countries in a way which enhances global security for all.

I will support openness and honesty in all our dealings with other countries without compromising our own security.

I support our continued membership of the European Union with the proviso that we actively seek to make the structure more democratically responsive. I will promote a steady devolution of power towards local authorities, restricting the remit of the EU, wherever possible to positive economic and political cooperation rather than further legislative powers.

Afghanistan

Whatever anyone thinks about the rights and wrongs of entering into this war we have to deal with the current reality. Our forces need our support. It is also incumbent upon us to work quickly and positively towards a political solution which allows the Afghan people to get on with their own lives in their own way and which allows us and our UN partners to bring our forces home safely. My commitment is to get out of this war as quickly, positively, honestly and safely as we can without compromising the progress the Afghan people have made towards building their own democratic institutions.

 If this involves talking to representatives of the Taliban, Al Qaeda or any other group I believe we should do so without conceding any of the democratic principles which I have expressed above. There is no limit to how long we should go on talking. We should go on talking until we find a solution that works for everyone.

Defence

I believe that we have the right as a nation state to defend ourselves from attack. I am very committed to this principle and I will support any measures required to increase and enhance the safety and security of this country from direct attack whether it is by another state or by individuals. I will only do so in a way which does not involve a first use of force against another nation state.

I also believe we should make a more concerted effort to reinforce the credibility and remit of the United Nations in mediating and resolving international disputes.  We will benefit from a greater commitment to upholding international law and by working with all countries to help them do likewise.

I do not believe that the current approach to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons is workable or fair. I believe it is time to set up a comprehensive review of the agreement on nuclear non-proliferation in a spirit of mutually assured security involving all sovereign states, including Israel and Iran, to name two. This is the only real defence against rogue individuals acquiring and using nuclear weapons.

I will also promote correct usage of the word ‘defence’. The current abuse of the concept of ‘defence’ to mean anything that any country chooses to do militarily to promote its own interests does not serve the interests of collective global security.

Education

I believe that the best people to determine and deliver positive and effective education to our children and young people are teachers, parents and young people themselves. Not politicians.

I will campaign for an increase in the number and authority of parent, teacher, student and community governors in all schools. I also believe all schools should come up with practical ways of involving student representatives in meaningful democracy from an early age so that they learn how to contribute positively to their own education and ultimately to their own communities.

I believe that education should focus on ‘whole-person development’. This means we should be placing at least as much emphasis on helping our children to build self-confidence, positive mental attitudes,  freedom of thought and a commitment to democratic principles as we place on the achievement of academic and technological qualifications

Any reasonable employer knows that what counts more than skills and knowledge are the positive attitudes (or lack of them) which young people bring to their jobs and businesses. Given a positive attitude people of all ages and backgrounds can learn and develop continuously and it is this which ultimately determines the extent of success.

Young people learn best when they are motivated. Piling pressure on students and teachers to achieve academic results irrespective of the personal costs to these individuals and to families is insane. Teachers and parents are better placed to develop an understanding of what works best with any individual child, not governments. I personally think we should scrap all compulsion in education, especially mandatory testing, homework and daily acts of worship.

On this basis I propose that the national curriculum becomes, at most, a source of guidance rather than a mandatory requirement. I would consider scrapping it altogether. Parents, students and teachers are better placed to agree on appropriate subjects working hand in hand with local employers, colleges and universities.

The sooner we begin to actively involve parents, teachers and  students in agreeing appropriate boundaries in terms of behaviour, and in terms of the conduct of education, the sooner we will begin to improve the way young people interact with and contribute to our communities. I believe that by handing over control to the real stakeholders in education and by drastically reducing the administrative and assessment burdens placed upon teachers we will make a significant contribution to real improvements in our communities and in our standards of education and achievement.

I will also promote a much greater level of secondments and placements for young people in as many ways as are safely manageable for the business and education sectors. Education/business liaison is an essential ingredient in the development of children and young people. I would also welcome schemes which promote entrepreneurialism amongst school age children.

A dynamic and sustainable level of prosperity depends upon free thinking, creative, dynamic, motivated and enterprising young people.

At Higher Education level I would like to see a link between the community contribution made by students and a commensurate reduction or elimination of tuition fees on an individual basis. Many European countries require their young people to give up a year to the benefit of their community and security. This seems to me to be a positive and fair way to support students. It is inimical to the development of creativity and a dynamic enterprise culture to saddle the best of our young generation with huge debts at the outset of their careers. We need a social pact which benefits all of us in this respect.

Immigration

The emotive debates which recur about immigration can be deflected quite simply by agreeing a target figure each year for the overall population of the UK. This target should be based purely on grounds of economic necessity, labour markets and sustainability. We then set a limit on net immigration based on the current level of population.

This would mean that in some years, there may be no immigration until emigration restores the target population figure to the agreed level. The target population figure should be a simple calculation as part of the overall annual budget.

To ensure a system fair to all, we should explore the viability of setting the quota for immigration from any one country in direct proportion to the population of that country subject to the overall annual cap.

The Economy

We have to dramatically reduce our borrowing in order to maintain and enhance our prosperity as a nation. I believe it is essential that we make the UK a much simpler and more positive place in which individuals and companies can set up and grow sustainable and socially responsible businesses.

Our excessive dependence upon the financial sector is undesirable in the long term. The major determinant of our future prosperity is our expanding ability to trade, create, design and deliver world class products and services. This can best be achieved by starting these processes at an early age in schools and communities. We should be making the conduct of enterprise as natural, appealing and simple for young people as breathing fresh air.

I believe we should set up an enquiry into the conduct of the banking sector and vigorously pursue those individuals and organisations that engaged in both criminal and economically irresponsible behaviours and seek appropriate recompense for the British taxpayers who bailed them out.

At the same time we must get the financial community to provide the capital necessary for the conduct of a thriving business sector. This is essentially an issue about setting appropriate boundaries for the conduct and governance of those in the financial sector as a whole.

 Banks are similar to any other business in that they do not thrive in heavily regulated environments. But neither can we countenance a repeat of the self-destructive levels of irresponsible lending and financial recklessness which led to the credit crisis.

I would like to see the introduction of democratically based scrutiny on the strategies and conduct of financial institutions.

Taxation and Public Expenditure

A major source of dissatisfaction and distrust amongst individuals and the business community is the excessive complexity of the tax system. This creates too many inequalities and also makes the conduct of business unnecessarily difficult. The relatively limited capacity of local people to influence taxation and spending is also a major factor in voters’ current disillusionment with the democratic process.

I propose that we radically simplify the system of taxation and return a significant proportion of decision making on taxation and public spending to more democratically responsive local authorities. 

To this end I will support any attempt to reduce the complexity of taxation including the setting of a single rate for all income and company profits, with a single allowance for individuals and businesses.

I believe the purpose of taxation is solely to raise the revenues necessary to fund the policies and government services which people require to live positively productive lives. The use of taxation to change behaviours in an environmental context distorts the system and leads to unnecessary costs for individuals, businesses and the country as a whole. Where it is desirable to influence the behaviours of individuals and companies, as it clearly is in say the context of global warming, this should be done through simple, direct and clearly focused legislation, not through taxation.

The specific rate of tax required to achieve a steady reduction in not just our borrowing requirement but also in our overall indebtedness as a nation will vary according to the productivity and profitability of UK businesses and individuals.

It is certain that the total revenue from taxes will have to increase in order to bring down our massive national debts. There will inevitably be a need to reduce public spending.

Wherever possible I will favour public spending cuts which aim to reduce administrative and management costs rather than those which affect direct service provision. I believe that the people best placed to manage service delivery in the health service, education and social services are the direct providers of these services themselves.

By making the NHS, education and social services more democratically responsive at a local level, I will aim to give local people the maximum degree of choice and influence over how these services are delivered within the financial constraints.

I will also look for ways to build on the massive contribution which charities and community service organisations (the so called ‘third sector’) can be used to back fill those services which the public purse can no longer sustain.

The active cultivation of this third sector in liaison with schools and businesses in a manner which respects and acknowledges the huge voluntary contribution made is another key component of building a more prosperous, caring and positive community for all.

Police and Criminal Justice

People have a right to be free from the threat of criminal activity in every context. The first duty of the police and the criminal justice system must be to protect ordinary people from crime. This necessarily means locking up people who have committed crimes of a serious nature whenever there is any plausible risk that they will repeat such crimes.

At the same time, we do not want to go on building more and more prisons and locking up more and more people.  The fact is that prison is not a universally effective method of preventing crime or of deterring people from engaging in criminal activities.

Criminal justice cannot be the only way in which we tackle crime. We must also focus on the healthy, positive development of children from their earliest years. The best antidote to crime is to involve children actively in the governance of their communities, especially their schools, from an early age. Providing children with exposure to enterprise and to the world of employment is also an essential ingredient in reducing the alienation of young people.

I believe we have to go on experimenting with ways of rehabilitating people who have committed offences. This should be done on as scientific basis as possible whilst always placing the safety of the public as our top priority.

 Criminal justice should not be determined on the basis of personal or political beliefs but on the basis of what can be statistically and scientifically proven to have the most sustainably beneficial effect.

We must also make serious efforts to reduce the burden of administrative responsibilities on police officers and increase the availability of officers to respond to urgent calls and to build positive relationships through their visible presence and interaction with their local communities.

 Conclusion

As an independent candidate I belive I offer the best options for voters in the Bournemouth West constituency to get really involved in local and national politics. My concept of Zero-Based Democracy means that I am commited to building democracy from the bottom upwards, because government by the people and for the people must involve and engage all the people.

If you would like to know, please leave a comment on this blog or contact me directly at harvey@hbtuk.com

This blog is produced by Harvey Taylor on behalf of Harvey Taylor’s campaign for election to the UK parliament in the constituency of Bournemouth West. You can write directly to Harvey Taylor at 73 Talbot Road Winton Bournemouth BH9 2JD.