Latest news with #UnlockDemocracy
Local France
2 days ago
- Politics
- Local France
'Neglected or ignored': Brits in Europe urged to back campaign for overseas MPs
Campaigners say there's growing recognition in the UK parliament of the need for an MP whose main role is representing Brits living abroad and the 'unique issues' they face – with a similar system already used in several EU countries. And while MPs get countless emails, a coalition of international citizens' rights groups has asked voters to send a postcard about the issue instead. READ ALSO: Campaign group for British overseas voters to hold first European meeting in Italy 'As MPs take a well deserved break, they should spare a thought for the millions of UK citizens abroad,' said Tom Brake, CEO of campaign group Unlock Democracy. 'Their views and priorities are often neglected or completely ignored. Establishing overseas constituencies is the best way to ensure their views are no longer marginalised.' The postcard campaign was 'a way to show MPs who and where we are – although we don't all live in picture postcard tourist spots,' said Clarissa Killwick, representing pan-European citizens' rights group Brexpats - Hear Our Voice. 'I live in Italy which has overseas MPs. They've helped bring about important changes such as improved consular services,' 'It is also a two-way street – for example, reducing over-punitive taxes has made Italians abroad more inclined to pay them.' Campaigner Clasissa Killwick sends her postcard from Italy. to her MP in the UK Photo courtesy of Clarissa Killwick. Under the proposed system, UK citizens abroad would elect MPs who represent their part of the world in the UK parliament, rather than voting for the MP in the UK constituency they might have left years ago. Italian citizens living abroad elect a total of 12 overseas parliamentarians - eight MPs and four senators. That accounts for two percent of the total number of seats in parliament. In France, 11 MPs are elected to the Assemblée nationale whose role is to represent the interests of French citizens living overseas - they each represent a 'constituency' such as French people in northern Europe. This type of representation often results in higher voter turnout and more focus on issues affecting overseas voters, according to the groups backing the campaign. Advertisement Terence Champion, Chair of Liberal Democrats Overseas, said: 'The more than 5,500,000 British citizens living overseas need their own MPs to represent their very specific concerns, which largely differ from those of domestic UK voters. 'Living overseas means facing some unique issues including frozen pensions, higher education fees, problems with UK bank accounts. spouse visas and complicated voting procedures, amongst others.' The issue of overseas constituencies was also among several topics to be discussed by the British Overseas Voters Forum (BOVF) at its inaugural meeting set to be held in Milan on September 9th . Organisations backing the campaign include: Unlock Democracy, New Europeans UK, British Overseas Voters Forum, Bremain in Spain, Liberal Democrats Abroad, Labour International, Brexpats - Hear Our Voice, and Liberal Democrats Overseas.
Sky News
5 days ago
- Business
- Sky News
House of Lords under fire for dropping rule that once caught out cricket legend and historian
Campaigners have criticised a change to the rules around declarations of interest in the House of Lords as a "retrograde step" which will lead to a "significant loss of transparency". Since 2000, peers have had to register a list of "non-financial interests" - which includes declaring unpaid but often important roles like being a director, trustee, or chair of a company, think tank or charity. But that requirement was dropped in April despite staff concerns. Tom Brake, director of Unlock Democracy, and a former Liberal Democrat MP, wants to see the decision reversed. "It's a retrograde step," he said. "I think we've got a significant loss of transparency and accountability and that is bad news for the public. "More than 25 years ago, the Committee on Standards in Public Life identified that there was a need for peers to register non-financial interests because that could influence their decisions. I'm confused as to what's happened in the last 25 years that now means this requirement can be scrapped. "This process seems to be all about making matters simpler for peers, rather than what the code of conduct is supposed to do, which is to boost the public's confidence." Westminster Accounts: Search for your MP Rules were too 'burdensome', say peers The change was part of an overhaul of the code of conduct which aimed to "shorten and clarify" the rules for peers. The House of Lords Conduct Committee argued that updating non-financial interests was "disproportionately burdensome" with "minor and inadvertent errors" causing "large numbers of complaints". As a result, the register of Lords interests shrunk in size from 432 pages to 275. MPs have a different code of conduct, which requires them to declare any formal unpaid positions or other non-financial interests which may be an influence. A source told Sky News there is real concern among some Lords' staff about the implications of the change. Non-financial interest declarations have previously highlighted cases where a peer's involvement in a think tank or lobbying group overlapped with a paid role. 4:23 Cricket legend among peers to breach code There are also examples where a peer's non-financial interest declaration has prompted an investigation - revealing a financial interest which should have been declared instead. In 2023, Lord Skidelsky was found to have breached the code after registering his role as chair of a charity's trustees as a non-financial interest. The Commissioner for Standards investigated after questions were raised about the charity, the Centre for Global Studies. He concluded that the charity - which was funded by two Russian businessmen - only existed to support Lord Skidelsky's work, and had paid his staff's salaries for over 12 years. In 2021, Lord Botham - the England cricket legend - was found to have breached the code after registering a non-financial interest as an unpaid company director. The company's accounts subsequently revealed he and his wife had benefitted from a director's loan of nearly £200,000. It was considered a minor breach and he apologised. 'Follow the money' Lord Eric Pickles, the former chair of the anti-corruption watchdog, the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, believes focusing on financial interests makes the register more transparent. "My view is always to follow the money. Everything else on a register is camouflage," he said. "Restricting the register to financial reward will give peers little wriggle room. I know this is counterintuitive, but the less there is on the register, the more scrutiny there will be on the crucial things." 'I was shocked' The SNP want the House of Lords to be scrapped, and has no peers of its own. Deputy Westminster leader Pete Wishart MP is deeply concerned by the changes. "I was actually quite horrified and quite shocked," he said. "This is an institution that's got no democratic accountability, it's a job for life. If anything, members of the House of Lords should be regulated and judged by a higher standard than us in the House of Commons - and what's happened is exactly the opposite." Public confidence in the Lords is already at a low ebb after the PPE controversy surrounding Baroness Michelle Mone, who took a leave of absence in 2022. The government has pledged to reform the House of Lords and is currently trying to push through a bill abolishing the 92 remaining hereditary peers, which will return to the House of Commons in September. But just before recess the bill was amended in the Lords so that they can remain as members until retirement or death. It's a change which is unlikely to be supported by MPs. A spokesperson for the House of Lords said: "Maintaining public confidence in the House of Lords is a key objective of the code of conduct. To ensure that, the code includes rigorous rules requiring the registration and declaration of all relevant financial interests held by members of the House of Lords. "Public confidence relies, above all, on transparency over the financial interests that may influence members' conduct. This change helps ensure the rules regarding registration of interests are understandable, enforceable and focused on the key areas of public concern. "Members may still declare non-financial interests in debate, where they consider them directly relevant, to inform the House and wider public. "The Conduct Committee is appointed to review the code of conduct, and it will continue to keep all issues under review. During its review of the code of conduct, the committee considered written evidence from both Unlock Democracy and Transparency International UK, among others."
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Labour warned to fix trust as well as raising living standards to defeat Reform
The government has so far followed through on only 1 in 3 of its pledges to rebuild trust in politics, according to a new report from campaign group Unlock Democracy Labour hasn't made its first year count when it comes to restoring trust, campaigners say on the anniversary of Keir Starmer 's general election victory. The government has so far followed through on only 1 in 3 of its pledges to rebuild trust in politics, according to a new report from campaign group Unlock Democracy. Released as Labour marks its first year in office, the 'report card' follows the British Social Attitudes survey finding trust in government has fallen to new record lows in the last year. Tom Brake, Director of Unlock Democracy, commented: 'Trust is the lifeblood of democracy - and right now, it's almost entirely drained away. What limited action the government has so far taken has failed to stem the bleeding. 'Labour must move beyond rhetoric and deliver on its pledges to rebuild public trust in full.' Unlock Democracy gave Labour's move to scrap hereditary peers full marks against promises made in its manifesto. But the group expressed disappointment that the government's Elections Bill - which presents an opportunity to fix much of the issues around trust in the political process - has been delayed, possibly into next year. The report calls for Labour to act on tightening restrictions on MPs second jobs, gifts and freebies and lobbying rules. And it warns Labour's prospects of re-election may hinge on restoring public trust - with improvements to living standards not being enough to halt the rise of Reform UK. Mr Brake added: 'Without urgent, visible action to clean up Westminster and modernise our institutions, Labour risks deepening the crisis in mistrust it promised to solve.'
Daily Mirror
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Huge number of missing voters sparks major call for automatic system
Major cities across the country face the highest levels of unregistered voters, specifically in areas of the city that are either the most deprived or ethnically diverse More than six million eligible voters are not signed up to vote in British elections, sparking calls for an automatic registration scheme, campaigners say. Major cities across the country face the highest levels of unregistered voters, specifically in areas of the city that are either the most deprived or ethnically diverse. Homeowners, older people and those living in rural areas are more likely to be on the electoral roll. One in six voters are not registered to vote in bigger cities, whereas just one in 10 voters in rural areas in Yorkshire or Wales are not on the electoral roll, analysis by Unlock Democracy found. More than 15% of eligible residents, especially young people, ethnic minority voters and renters, are not on the electoral register in cities such as London, Birmingham and Manchester, the campaign group said. Ministers are under pressure to introduce an Automatic Voter Registration (AVR) to make sure all eligible Brits are signed up to vote in elections. In a letter handed to the PM on Tuesday, which was organised by Unlock Democracy, around two dozen MPs called for an end to the UK's 'Victorian era voter registration system'. 'It's time to register every voter,' it said. 'The Government has the opportunity to bring voter registration into the modern era.' It called for an automatic system to be included in elections legislation, which is expected to be introduced later on in this Parliament. An Elections Bill would also include lowering the voting age to 16 years - a Labour manifesto pledge. Last year's General Election saw turnout at just 59.7%. Only 60% of 18- and 19-year-olds are registered to vote in England, compared to 96% of over-65s, according to the Electoral Commission. And just 72% of Black and mixed-race citizens are registered, compared to 87% of white citizens, it said. Many also face the barrier of not having a Voter ID. The Mirror launched a campaign last year(2024) to target voters who face being excluded at the ballot box. New photo ID rules led to thousands being turned away at the 2023 local elections, the first time the Tory rules came into effect. Tom Brake, Director of Unlock Democracy and former MP said: 'There is a real problem for democracy when the voices of millions of people are unheard: it deepens the already record levels of disengagement and disillusionment with politics. Fortunately, a tried and tested solution - Automatic Voter Registration - can ride to the rescue.'
