More United will raise funds for candidates that support a core set of progressive principles
Paddy Ashdown has announced the formation of a new cross-party progressive platform, More United.
Speaking on the Andrew Marr show this morning, Ashdown said that the movement is for people who ‘hate to see our country dragged away to the extremes’ and ‘want a means, not necessarily through a political party to express their views.’
More United — its name taken from the late Jo Cox’s maiden speech in parliament —will use crowdfunding to provide financial support to progressive candidates from across the party space, with a view to ‘creating a new centre of political gravity in the UK.’
The movements core principles are:
- A fair, modern, efficient market based economy that closes the gap between rich and poor and supports strong public services
- A modern democracy that empowers citizens, rather than politicians
- A green economy that protects the environment and works to reverse climate change
- An open and tolerant society where diversity is celebrated in all its forms
- A United Kingdom that welcomes immigration, international co-operation and a close relationship with the EU
Ashdown also made clear that if a second EU referendum were to be held, More United would campaign against Brexit.
More United has not begun fundraising yet, but is inviting supporters to join. According to Ashdown, if more than 25,000 people have signed up by September, they will launch the next phase.
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15 Responses to “Ashdown launches new progressive political platform”
Julia Gibb
More united. A scary prospect paving the way for the Save Labour second Tory Party.
Take a look at the “Soft Left” background of Owen Smith
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2016/07/entirely-fake-owen-smith/
The choice will soon be between May or Smith if the Blairites win.
Smith is a product being sold – pleas don’t buy it. Open the link.
john harrison
Here we go Someone suggest somat new and the negative tenancy start sharpening their talons
wg
Another closing of the ranks amongst the political elite.
And this will target the usual onside public service workers, university students, and establishment stooges.
But the hordes who voted to leave the elitist and corporate European Union will still be outside the gates – to have a mass movement, our Paddy will have to have a ‘mass’, and the mass seems to be arming themselves with pitchforks and marching in the opposite direction.
The party’s over Paddy – the people are looking up words like ‘Liberal’ and ‘Democrat’ and finding that the definitions are a million miles away from the European Union.
PA
A great idea! I am fed up with the two extremes of politics and heartily approve of the core principles laid out above.
Roy
Any Progressive Manifesto needs to dwell on big themes – democracy, equality, sustainability – before turning to specific policy areas. These big themes should infuse the manifesto and so link in to all policy areas.
The issue of Equality should form a dominant theme and needs to run through any Progressive Manifesto like Blackpool through a stick of rock – not just wealth equalities but, even more so, equality of power. Inequalities – in housing, labour, consumer affairs, education, media, voting, politics – cause malfunctions in markets and gross unfairness elsewhere. Equality between the parties is essential to effective and efficient markets.
Landlords exercise undue power over tenants; rogue employers exploit workers, leading to a race to the bottom; press barons exercise unaccountable influence on our politics; high flying executives help themselves to company profits; voters in “safe” seats exert far less influence on policy than those in marginals; the rich have far more influence than the poor; unscrupulous suppliers exploit consumers; victims of state power face the power of the state in seeking redress.
One principal aim of democracy is to equalise power relations. That’s why our ancestors fought for it. The last 40 years have seen the over-concentration of power in Whitehall and the City and increased inequality of wealth and power elsewhere, with power ebbing away from ordinary citizens and communities. We are becoming a less just and less harmonious society as a result. “Take back control” should be a Progressive slogan. Take back control of your lives. Taking back control from the EU is an abstraction. Having a more equal power relationship with your landlord or employer should be a reality. Not just having rights but being able to enforce them.
The Birmingham Manifesto is designed to start taking back power and distributing it more equally across society. Share it if you like it:
The Birmingham Manifesto: 12 commitments for a Progressive Alliance:
We shall:
Reform the voting system so that all votes count.
Make taxation fair so everyone pays their share.
Strengthen the bargaining power of workers in the workplace.
Cut the welfare bill by getting people into well paid work.
Control excessive executive pay and bankers’ bonuses.
Scrap austerity and promote sustainable growth through investment in infrastructure and green technologies.
Run Utilities for the benefit of the public not the boardroom.
Build homes for ordinary people and free local councils to build homes for all.
Improve security of tenure for private tenants.
Create an education system fit for the future and enabling all to develop their skills, abilities and talents to the full.
Reform the banks and other financial services so they act in the public interest.
Hold a second referendum when the results of the negotiations to leave the EU are known, so that we know what we’re voting for.
That should do for five years!