Published: October 20th 2009 - at 3:17 pm

New reform group calls for open primaries


by Sunny Hundal    

A newly launched pressure group demanding a change in our politics has called for open primaries to be made compulsory for selection.

Open Up Now claim to be a group of people from backgrounds who have “come together with a common motive of trying to do something to help improve a dire political environment”.

They say their aim is to increase transparency, fairness and accountability in elections and government by promoting positive change.

They call for Open Primaries on their website with this demand:

It’s not just about expenses. It’s about reforming our political system. The way Parliament is run and government does business must change – and getting the best possible people into office is the starting point.

That’s why we want the people, not the politicians, to select who stands for election. That’s why we want Open Primaries in every constituency, where the people select their own candidates, and where anyone can put themselves forward to be a candidate. That’s why we want all current MPs to agree to stand for re-selection in an Open Primary. We want this before the next General Election. And this is what Open Up is calling on every political party to do.

They have also created this video

www.openupnow.org


---------------------------
    Share on Tumblr  


About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
· Other posts by


Story Filed Under: News


Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.


Reader comments


What nonsense. Talk about completely misunderstanding the political process and a few basic principles of democracy. Anyone is entitled to form a party and anyone is entitled to stand for election. If each party is directly controlled by the people they’ll all become the same.

This is a total distraction from the real issues at hand – notably the need for popular sovereignty and electoral reform.


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    Article:: New reform group calls for open primaries http://bit.ly/2bLQrt

  2. Andy Rivett-Carnac

    RT @libcon New reform group calls for open primaries http://bit.ly/26XdOV

  3. Liberal Conspiracy

    Article:: New reform group calls for open primaries http://bit.ly/2bLQrt

  4. Tweets that mention Liberal Conspiracy » New reform group calls for open primaries -- Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Liberal Conspiracy, Andy Rivett-Carnac. Andy Rivett-Carnac said: RT @libcon New reform group calls for open primaries http://bit.ly/26XdOV [...]

  5. Open Up Campaign Update: 27th October | Open Up Politics

    [...] additional further coverage which includes: Frank Field, Iain Dale, Jason Kitcat, Harry’s Place, Liberal Conspiracy, Sky News Online and the [...]





Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.

 
Liberal Conspiracy is the UK's most popular left-of-centre politics blog. Our aim is to re-vitalise the liberal-left through discussion and action. More about us here.

You can read articles through the front page, via Twitter or RSS feed. You can also get them by email and through our Facebook group.
LATEST COMMENT PIECES
» Criticism of Obama for its own sake: a reply to Mehdi Hasan
» Do older people really need more NHS healthcare?
» There are alternatives to the reckless ‘Plan A’
» On Beecroft: it is already quite easy to sack people
» Why Cameron’s claim of 600,000 jobs created is plainly wrong
» By using age to allocate NHS funding, Lansley rewards Tory voters
» The rise in domestic violence deaths is not an “isolated” problem
» Adrian Beecroft highlights mindset of Tory right
» The US is now a model for the Eurozone to save itself
» The IMF plan to revive the economy doesn’t go far enough
» The Boris brand is weaker than his friends think
» Nine things you can do to halt Lansley’s destruction of our NHS






12 Comments



67 Comments



19 Comments



45 Comments



10 Comments



24 Comments



22 Comments



69 Comments



44 Comments



25 Comments



LATEST COMMENTS
» Chaise Guevara posted on Do older people really need more NHS healthcare?

» re posted on '43% of young women sexually harassed'

» Callum Lane posted on Three reasons we should oppose attempts to block porn

» Jonathan Kent posted on How Newsnight demonised a single mother

» Robin Levett posted on Adrian Beecroft highlights mindset of Tory right

» Kath posted on How Newsnight demonised a single mother

» john77 posted on Angry about absurdly high pay? Here's what to do about it

» Monglor posted on Criticism of Obama for its own sake: a reply to Mehdi Hasan

» Sarah AB posted on Red Tory Blond: gay marriage "homophobic"

» Peter Stewert posted on '43% of young women sexually harassed'

» Women have the power to end Domestic Violence. | Feminist Prose. posted on The rise in domestic violence deaths is not an "isolated" problem

» GO posted on Do older people really need more NHS healthcare?

» john b posted on On Beecroft: it is already quite easy to sack people

» Ben2 posted on '43% of young women sexually harassed'

» Chaise Guevara posted on Do older people really need more NHS healthcare?