Unlock Democracy
Encyclopedia
Unlock Democracy is a UK pressure group, based in Islington
, in London
. The organisation campaigns for a more participatory democracy in the UK, founded upon a written constitution
. Unlock Democracy works to promote democratic reform across the political spectrum and is not aligned with any political party. The organisation's activities include producing a range of publications, lobbying politicians and political parties and working on projects to promote greater public involvement in politics, at both a local and a national level.
Unlock Democracy is governed by an annually elected membership council and from that a management board. It is funded from three main sources: grant income for specific projects from various foundations and trusts, subscriptions and donations from its members and supporters and income from its subsidiary company Rodell Properties Ltd.
The current and founding Director is Peter Facey. He was Director of Unlock Democracy’s predecessor organisation the New Politics Network
in 2001 and latter also becoming Director of Charter 88. He was responsible for merger of the two organisations in 2007.
set up a joint working relationship to make the most of their resources in the establishment of the Elect the Lords
campaign. The two organisations decided to formalise their working relationship in 2006, and Unlock Democracy was founded in 2007.
Members of Charter 88 (a pressure group advocating constitutional electoral reform) and the New Politics Network
(the organisation established after the winding up of the think tank Democratic Left
, which was itself the legal successor of the Communist Party of Great Britain
) voted to merge the two organisations. This was not without controversy, however, with NPN Director Nina Temple
, among others, attempting to steer the organisation back towards its democratic socialist roots at the 2003 AGM. This feeling may have been prompted because the contribution of NPN to this merger was substantially financial, due to the dire financial situation of Charter 88. The movement and subsequent campaigning of the organisation could also be criticised for remaining truer to its Charter 88 roots than those of the NPN. The NPN strapline, however, "connecting people and politics", was retained.
The merger was completed in November 2007.
between the Executive
, the Legislature
and the Judiciary
. It should also explicitly determined the divisions and limitations of powers between central and local government
within the UK. The organisation's stated aims are:
To campaign:
To promote:
It has engaged with the Ministry of Justice
Governance of Britain programme.
It attends party conferences and runs external events such as People and Politics Day.
It continues to work with and support other organisations such as Local Works
on the Sustainable Communities Act.
It lastly, continues its work on democratic reform, including the Elect the Lords
campaign, and the campaign for a review of the general election
electoral system.
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The organisation campaigns for a more participatory democracy in the UK, founded upon a written constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
. Unlock Democracy works to promote democratic reform across the political spectrum and is not aligned with any political party. The organisation's activities include producing a range of publications, lobbying politicians and political parties and working on projects to promote greater public involvement in politics, at both a local and a national level.
Unlock Democracy is governed by an annually elected membership council and from that a management board. It is funded from three main sources: grant income for specific projects from various foundations and trusts, subscriptions and donations from its members and supporters and income from its subsidiary company Rodell Properties Ltd.
The current and founding Director is Peter Facey. He was Director of Unlock Democracy’s predecessor organisation the New Politics Network
New Politics Network
The New Politics Network was an independent political and campaigning think tank in the United Kingdom, concerned with democratic renewal and popular participation in politics...
in 2001 and latter also becoming Director of Charter 88. He was responsible for merger of the two organisations in 2007.
History
In 2003, 15 years after the formation of Charter 88, the organisation was experiencing a very turbulent period and this led to great organisational changes. A loss of intellectual contribution, the organisation's increasing financial woes and a period of resignations and redundancies created a near crisis situation in late 2003. In February 2005, Charter 88 and the New Politics NetworkNew Politics Network
The New Politics Network was an independent political and campaigning think tank in the United Kingdom, concerned with democratic renewal and popular participation in politics...
set up a joint working relationship to make the most of their resources in the establishment of the Elect the Lords
Elect the Lords
Elect The Lords is a campaign established in September 2004 by the New Politics Network and Charter88 calling for the United Kingdom House of Lords to be replaced by a predominantly elected upper house...
campaign. The two organisations decided to formalise their working relationship in 2006, and Unlock Democracy was founded in 2007.
Members of Charter 88 (a pressure group advocating constitutional electoral reform) and the New Politics Network
New Politics Network
The New Politics Network was an independent political and campaigning think tank in the United Kingdom, concerned with democratic renewal and popular participation in politics...
(the organisation established after the winding up of the think tank Democratic Left
Democratic Left (United Kingdom)
Democratic Left was a post-communist political organisation in the United Kingdom during the 1990s, growing out of the Eurocommunist strand within the Communist Party of Great Britain and its magazine Marxism Today...
, which was itself the legal successor of the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
) voted to merge the two organisations. This was not without controversy, however, with NPN Director Nina Temple
Nina Temple
Nina Claire Temple was the last Secretary of the Communist Party of Great Britain, and was formerly a think-tank director in the United Kingdom.-Early life:...
, among others, attempting to steer the organisation back towards its democratic socialist roots at the 2003 AGM. This feeling may have been prompted because the contribution of NPN to this merger was substantially financial, due to the dire financial situation of Charter 88. The movement and subsequent campaigning of the organisation could also be criticised for remaining truer to its Charter 88 roots than those of the NPN. The NPN strapline, however, "connecting people and politics", was retained.
The merger was completed in November 2007.
Campaign Goals
Unlock Democracy's primary goal is setting in place of a democratic participative process resulting in a written constitution. That constitution should explicitly set out the separation of powersSeparation of powers
The separation of powers, often imprecisely used interchangeably with the trias politica principle, is a model for the governance of a state. The model was first developed in ancient Greece and came into widespread use by the Roman Republic as part of the unmodified Constitution of the Roman Republic...
between the Executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
, the Legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
and the Judiciary
Judiciary
The judiciary is the system of courts that interprets and applies the law in the name of the state. The judiciary also provides a mechanism for the resolution of disputes...
. It should also explicitly determined the divisions and limitations of powers between central and local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
within the UK. The organisation's stated aims are:
To campaign:
- to ensure that the votes of all carry equal weight
- for transparency in public decision making
- to achieve legislative changes that modernise our governance
- to ensure that power is exercised as close to people as is practicable
- to empower individuals and their communities to have a greater say over the decisions that affect them
- for democratic accountability of all elected representatives, government and public bodies
To promote:
- a new culture of informed political interest and responsibility, paving the way for increased enthusiastic public participation
- a pluralist democracy that is responsive to the problems and aspirations of all people, valuing and accommodating difference and diversity
Today
Today Unlock Democracy continues its work.It has engaged with the Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Justice is a ministerial department of the UK Government headed by the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for improvements to the justice system so that it better serves the public...
Governance of Britain programme.
It attends party conferences and runs external events such as People and Politics Day.
It continues to work with and support other organisations such as Local Works
Local Works
Local Works is a UK coalition of over 120 national organisations campaigning to promote the use of the Sustainable Communities Act. Originally set up by the new economics foundation, the Local Works coalition was formed in 2002 with the sole aim of campaigning to see the Sustainable Communities...
on the Sustainable Communities Act.
It lastly, continues its work on democratic reform, including the Elect the Lords
Elect the Lords
Elect The Lords is a campaign established in September 2004 by the New Politics Network and Charter88 calling for the United Kingdom House of Lords to be replaced by a predominantly elected upper house...
campaign, and the campaign for a review of the general election
United Kingdom general elections overview
United Kingdom general elections overview, an overview of United Kingdom General Election results since 1922. This 1922 election was the first election in the new United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, after the creation of the Irish Free State removed Southern Ireland from the UK.-...
electoral system.