What a deeply unedifying spectacle our politics has become. Campaigning co-ordinated by two of the most dubious specimens ever to draw breath. One uses his personal wealth to boost the prospects of his Tory chums. The other relies on the quiet acquiescence of vast numbers of Unite members who each pay a small proportion of their membership fee to the ‘political fund.’
Why on earth Unite members continue paying this sum to a government who have never been more than lukewarm towards them is a mystery. How many of them are aware they can opt out of paying this?
We need to take a leaf out of the American’s book of how to do it. Donations are limited to $2000, which means thousands and thousands of donors are required to fund campaigns and party workers.
The millions squandered on the political class do little to enlighten our system. It is also deeply corrupting – cash for honours, contracts awarded to large donors, policies dropped for fear of upsetting contributors (Ecclestone).
It would be even better if parties had to rely solely on their members for their funds – and then had to cut their garment according to their cloth.
It would mean, heaven forbid, that they would have to go out and meet real people and discuss real issues in the real world. A membership fee of say £20 a year with 100,000 members would produce £2 million. And that would be it – live within your means. An end to MacBride and Coulson plus all of their associated pond life chums. Parties would have to become more receptive to the populace. Want to get your message across? Talk to people on the street, in the marketplace, at the match, and on the doorstep. And not just once every 5 years either.
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