UKIP Manifesto 2010 The Constitution and How We Are Governed
The MP expenses scandal has shown that the British system of government is in serious disarray. Bureaucracy overrules democracy at every level, from Brussels to Whitehall to the town hall. UKIP will give meaningful power back to the British people and not just talk of localism. UKIP will:
· Introduce ‘Direct Democracy’ whereby 5% of the national or local electorate can demand a binding referendum on any issue. At national level, people will have to sign up for the referendum within six months, at local level, within three months
· Introduce an element of proportional representation in national and local elections. UKIP favours an electoral system based on Alternative Vote Plus so that constituency MPs have to earn at least 50% of the vote (as in Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections). For illustration, 450 MPs might be elected on a single member constituency basis (with each constituency increased to 100,000 voters) and 200 MPs on a party list basis. A second ballot approach may be preferable
· Extend direct elections and real democracy by instituting directly elected County Police Boards, Education Boards and Health Boards, and supporting directly elected Mayors
· Retain devolved national assemblies but replace the representatives with Westminster MPs from the same nation. The 129 Scottish MSPs, 60 Welsh AMs and (in time) 108 Northern Irish MLAs would be replaced with their Westminster MPs. These MPs would then spend one week a month on devolved business and the rest of their time at Westminster. English MPs would meet in Westminster for English-only days as an ‘English Parliament’
· Introduce a right of recall whereby electors can challenge an errant MP and force a by- election in exceptional circumstances, such as abuse of expenses
· Abolish Regional Government – including the nine Regional Ministers, Regional Development Agencies and Assemblies – and return their powers to local government. The county will become the prime local government unit
· Fully support the monarchy, oppose disestablishment of the Church of England, and consider transferring part of the Crown Estate back to the Royal family in return for ending their State support
· Give Parliament powers such as treaty ratification and consent for declaring war
· Start by retrieving our democracy from Brussels, then revitalise the House of Commons and local government (as above) and, at the end of that process, decide whether we need a second chamber and how it is to be constituted
Download the full Constitution policy from the Policies section of www.ukip.org
UKIP Manifesto 2010
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Introduction
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : The Economy: Tax, Budget and Regulation
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : The Economy: Jobs, Enterprise and Skills
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Immigration and Asylum
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Law and Order, Crime
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Healthcare and the NHS
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Education and Training
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Pensions
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Welfare and Social Security
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Foreign Affairs and International Trade
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Energy and the Environment
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Transport
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Housing and Planning
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : The Constitution and How We Are Governed
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Culture and Restoring Britishness
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Food, Farming and the Countryside
UKIP Manifesto 2010 : Other Specific UKIP Policies
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