Nigel Farage’s £5 million handout from a crypto billionaire is a worrying sign of things to come. We must act now to prevent a complete oligarch takeover, argues Oliver Bullough
Reading this and thinking about the willingness of American individuals and organisations to invest in UK politicians, I was struck by the parallels with the takeover of British football clubs. Compared to the costs of sport in the USA, Britain is a bargain basement, and comparatively small amounts of money can buy huge success - look at the progress of Wrexham, which used to be community owned.
Maybe we will see the takeover of a failing British political party by foreign investors. Ohh…..could explain Blair’s recent intervention? I am sure his mates at Palantir would love to have even more control of UK government policies?
I agree except for at the very end. I don't think it is to be build a foundation where democracy can rest. Democracy hasn't ever fully arrived yet! We have aspects of one. But we pretend a lot and we are flexible with the definition. We supposedly have Separation of Powers. Well we do until we don't, because it is is inconvenient and then it is ok again. We are not all equal under the law. We do not have equal access to the law. We have one of the weakest forms of democratic voting system. We are not citizens even. We are subjects with a monarchy and we do not have an elected second chamber. We have not abandoned any of the empire structures here or internationally and we maintain the commonwealth to represent our empire. So i think we are a faux democracy. I therefore do not wish to see democracy merely rest on strong foundations but be built upon them, solidly, in order to become a real grown up democracy and one in which we all share more equally and fairly.
I agree with much of this. But I think £100k or “low 6 figures” is far too high because that again favours the very wealthy. I would relate it to what a person on the median wage could reasonably afford and have the State fund parties. Also restricting donations to taxpayers would mean some voters who didn’t pay tax could not donate. Certainly I have always thought only UK domiciled voters should be entitled to donate - no companies or other entities.
But fixing the money, while necessary, is not sufficient to radically improve representative politics - we also urgently need voting by PR, and a new constitutional settlement that specifies how a constituent of a voluntary Union can leave.
Another full, frank and fair Byline article outlining in perfect detail both the rising problem and the proposed solutions to what is already happening in UK. We can all see (if we simply look) the strategy of cash fed corruption of this country’s political system.
Oliver is so right- UK political power and influence is available at a very cheap price- Trump, Musk, Putin, even now Blair and other super rich influencers can, are and will view our old fashioned unprotected democratic country as a low priced manipulative opportunity. They plan to change our well- founded demographic principles, laws, and loose, fair society towards their own will and control objectives- directly under our helpless noses!
The voting system, the open unregulated social media /propaganda, the undoing and transfer to private control of all Public Sector assets, the national media networks and even removal of The BBC, bending and castrating our existing laws, checks and balances. All can change so fast and there seems nothing we can do!
Oliver however points to ways we can make our voices heard: STAND OUT by writing to your MP, Protest and support fair voting, restricted funding of politics, say NO to social mefia abuse and fake news. Support The BBC - one of the worlds last truly independent media networks.
Reading this and thinking about the willingness of American individuals and organisations to invest in UK politicians, I was struck by the parallels with the takeover of British football clubs. Compared to the costs of sport in the USA, Britain is a bargain basement, and comparatively small amounts of money can buy huge success - look at the progress of Wrexham, which used to be community owned.
Maybe we will see the takeover of a failing British political party by foreign investors. Ohh…..could explain Blair’s recent intervention? I am sure his mates at Palantir would love to have even more control of UK government policies?
I agree except for at the very end. I don't think it is to be build a foundation where democracy can rest. Democracy hasn't ever fully arrived yet! We have aspects of one. But we pretend a lot and we are flexible with the definition. We supposedly have Separation of Powers. Well we do until we don't, because it is is inconvenient and then it is ok again. We are not all equal under the law. We do not have equal access to the law. We have one of the weakest forms of democratic voting system. We are not citizens even. We are subjects with a monarchy and we do not have an elected second chamber. We have not abandoned any of the empire structures here or internationally and we maintain the commonwealth to represent our empire. So i think we are a faux democracy. I therefore do not wish to see democracy merely rest on strong foundations but be built upon them, solidly, in order to become a real grown up democracy and one in which we all share more equally and fairly.
I agree with much of this. But I think £100k or “low 6 figures” is far too high because that again favours the very wealthy. I would relate it to what a person on the median wage could reasonably afford and have the State fund parties. Also restricting donations to taxpayers would mean some voters who didn’t pay tax could not donate. Certainly I have always thought only UK domiciled voters should be entitled to donate - no companies or other entities.
But fixing the money, while necessary, is not sufficient to radically improve representative politics - we also urgently need voting by PR, and a new constitutional settlement that specifies how a constituent of a voluntary Union can leave.
Another full, frank and fair Byline article outlining in perfect detail both the rising problem and the proposed solutions to what is already happening in UK. We can all see (if we simply look) the strategy of cash fed corruption of this country’s political system.
Oliver is so right- UK political power and influence is available at a very cheap price- Trump, Musk, Putin, even now Blair and other super rich influencers can, are and will view our old fashioned unprotected democratic country as a low priced manipulative opportunity. They plan to change our well- founded demographic principles, laws, and loose, fair society towards their own will and control objectives- directly under our helpless noses!
The voting system, the open unregulated social media /propaganda, the undoing and transfer to private control of all Public Sector assets, the national media networks and even removal of The BBC, bending and castrating our existing laws, checks and balances. All can change so fast and there seems nothing we can do!
Oliver however points to ways we can make our voices heard: STAND OUT by writing to your MP, Protest and support fair voting, restricted funding of politics, say NO to social mefia abuse and fake news. Support The BBC - one of the worlds last truly independent media networks.
Thank you for outlining this so clearly.