About the Jury Team

Launched in mid March 2009, the Jury Team is for people who believe in democracy but who have seen how the current party political system has turned the United Kingdom's Parliament and Government into the creatures of a small and increasingly distant group of self-serving politicians.

The arrogance that has developed in these party cultures has led to personal behaviours and attitudes on issues such as expenses and conflicts of interest which would be unacceptable in any other walk of life. Politicians are seen as more interested in winning elections than in improving the lot of the people or the state of the nation. Many manipulate rather than respect their electorate. MPs are now largely in Parliament as their primary career rather than to provide objective oversight of the Government.

The party whipping system has generally reduced the House of Commons to a talking shop which overwhelmingly accepts the Government's proposals with little scrutiny. The UK Government is run by ministers appointed for party political reasons who have little background in their subject or in management and are anyway moved elsewhere before they can implement their proposals.

The Jury Team wants to restore proper democracy and integrity to our democratic institutions by allowing people to be selected openly by their fellow citizens to become candidates at elkections.

Once selected we will then support the election of the chosen candidates to become Independent MPs. When elected they will not be subject to a party whip but will all be committed to improving the governance of Parliaments and Governments.

The intention of the Jury Team is not only to listen to the British people but also to involve them much more directly in the political system. This will lead to their Parliament having the capacity and structures to represent their interests and their Government operating in a way in which the needs of the people are given greater priority than the needs of any political party.

We pledge to hold eight referendums on issues where the politicians seem most distant from the electorate:

• Giving courts the ability to sentence violent criminals to "army style" punishment and training courses
• Preventing banks that are benefiting from government guarantees from using depositors' funds to support their own market trading
• Limiting the number of British troops sent to Afghanistan to the average number sent by other NATO countries (relative to their size)
• Setting up an English Parliament to decide matters that relate solely to England
• Changing the voting system in the House of Commons to direct proportional representation
• Limiting the amount the government can borrow each year to no more than 10% of its total expenditure
• Allowing state schools the option of becoming independent state funded charities outside the control of the local education authority if a majority of parents agree
• Withdrawal of the UK from the European Union

We shall also legislate to enable national referendums to be called annually whenever requested by 5% of the electorate.

With John Smeaton as our candidate in the by-election in Glasgow North East we are confident of success. We shall then be poised to win many seats in the general election.

If you believe in making the UK a better place to live then come and help us take back our politics from those who now dominate it and do so well from it.