'This is not a democracy'
Since coming to power in 2010, the Conservatives have introduced a series of measures which have reshaped democracy in Britain. From restricting the right to protest to new laws on how we vote, the changes have been sweeping, and have been combined with anti-democratic rhetoric from the government and the press.
In a powerful speech in the House of Lords, Green Party peer Jenny Jones illustrated just how much these changes have undermined democracy.
Jones said: “A democracy is failing when those who support the opposition are discouraged from voting, protests that are noisy and get noticed get banned, strikes also banned, police spies have legal immunity when infiltrating campaign groups, the people who oversee the running of elections lose their independence, disregard of international law and treaty commitments, the dilution of human rights protections and the ability of courts to question executive decisions, lawyers and judges are declared the enemy within, corruption is rife and legitimised, there’s one rule for those partying at the top and another rule for us at the bottom, and money buys access and access gets the contracts, licenses and regulations you desire, the national broadcaster is run by friends of the ruling party and the independent media is mostly owned by foreign billionaires.
“This is not a democracy. This is not a country that we can be proud of anymore. Our traditions have been scrapped and this government is responsible for that.”
Watch the speech here:
Chris Jarvis is head of strategy and development at Left Foot Forward
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