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No doubt many MPs will hope that the plans to overhaul their expenses system, whatever the eventual form of the Bill that gets passed, will help a sceptical public get past its anger and rediscover its faith in the political system. That hope is deeply misguided.
For even before the expenses row, there was a gulf between people and power. Radio phone-ins fizzle with rage against the political class.
As a parliamentary candidate myself, I witness that same contempt on a frighteningly regular basis.
Worse, the last two general elections have seen record-low turnouts, with, in the last election, only a third of 18-to 24-year-olds bothering to vote at all.
We cannot be far from a point where a future elected government will be unable to claim democratic legitimacy.
Politicians know this and are worried. But the solutions being aired in Parliament miss the point entirely.
Now is the time not simply for a transfer of power from a discredited Labour government to the Conservative Party, but a shift from the political elites to real people.
Inane schemes such as bribing people to vote with free iPods and warm doughnuts (thanks, Hazel Blears) reveal an underlying assumption that people just don't care about politics and that their willingness to vote can be bought.
That is arrant nonsense. People care passionately about how they are governed. A million people marched in London against the war in Iraq.
Half a million took to the streets in opposition to the ban on hunting.
Millions of people are involved in community and charity work, and in "single-issue" pressure groups.
The reason people don't engage in elections has nothing to do with apathy. People simply don't trust politicians, and don't believe politicians have the guts or power to do what's needed.
Above all, they don't believe their vote will change anything. Sadly, they're not far wrong.
Canvassing in the run-up to the EU elections recently, I was asked by one resident: "Why should I bother?" I struggled to find an answer. "Because our candidate's a good guy?" I suggested lamely.
What else could I have said? That getting the right MEPs into Brussels would change things? It won't. If you can't see decision-makers, let alone sack them, then there's very little you can do to influence decisions.
At local level, it's even worse. Central government has taken more and more powers away from elected local government.
The effect is that councils can't do what people expect them to do. They can't decide how many houses are going to be built in their area.
They can't lower business rates to encourage economic growth. Additionally, Labour has clogged up local government with 1,200 centrally imposed targets.
We even have a situation where local councillors cannot be involved in planning decisions where they have expressed an opinion.
So if a councillor is elected to combat a particular scheme, he or she is automatically prevented from having a say in council because their position is regarded as prejudiced.
There is a solution - direct democracy. It's a simple concept, based on the use of the referendum, that gives citizens the power to initiate votes on issues that matter to them.
It would enable people to challenge existing laws, propose new ones, and to determine the direction of political decision-making at local and national level.
Direct democracy would radically transform politics. Not only would voters be able to stop many unpopular policies from becoming law; they'd also be able to kick-start positive changes.
Crucially, direct democracy ensures that decisions are taken that reflect the wishes of the people who will be affected by the consequences.
For example, if there is a proposal to build an incinerator in a particular borough, people living in that borough would be able to "earn" the right to hold a referendum if they collected a specified number of signatures.
Of course there would need to be a debate about the kind of issues that could be influenced via referendum nationally.
Some security issues, for example, would need to be exempted for obvious reasons. But constitutional issues, like the transfer of powers to the EU, would justify use of a national ballot initiative.
There would also need to be rules ensuring balanced coverage of an issue, fair expenditure by interest groups, honest wording of questions, the number of signatures required to trigger a referendum, and so on.
Direct democracy has been proven to work well in other countries. In Switzerland, if 100,000 signatures can be collected within an 18-month period, a proposal can be put on a ballot paper and voted on by the general public. If it is passed, then it becomes law.
Meanwhile, under Californian law, voters are able to initiate a process where unpopular or incompetent politicians can be "recalled" from office.
Although attempts to remove popular politicians like Ronald Reagan failed, the recall process was successfully invoked in 2003 for the recall of sitting Governor Gray Davis and his replacement with Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's hard to imagine a better mechanism for keeping politicians on their toes.
Here, the Conservative Party is beginning to understand the value of direct democracy. David Cameron has already promised to return regional planning and housing powers to local communities.
He has pledged a greater use of local referendums on a wide variety of local issues, including taxation, as well as devices to make the police genuinely accountable to the communities they serve. It's a big step in the right direction. But we need more.
Critics of direct democracy will argue that ordinary people are too irresponsible to be trusted with important decisions.
That constitutes an argument against democracy itself - the same one used by opponents of female suffrage.
Critics may also claim that direct democracy will hand too much influence to the media. But the media have far more power over 650 headline-sensitive MPs than they could ever wield over 43 million voters.
Another argument is that policy can be too complex for ordinary voters. In fact a referendum would provide the perfect incentive for politicians properly to explain the complexities of legislation.
As our freedoms continue to be trampled by an increasingly discredited elite in Westminster, the link between people and power grows weaker. Direct democracy offers a genuine opportunity to mend our broken politics.
Zac Goldsmith is the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park and North Kingston.
Reader views (18)
Canada, population 31 Million, has 14 elected primary governments.
If you want to see the total erosion of democracy, this is the country to study. Provincial governments are nothing less than autocracies. The voter turnout is abysmally low in all elections, Mr Goldsmith is absolutely correct, it matters little if we vote or not, we are routinely lied to and mislead by politicians we have no faith whatsoever and a total distrust in anything they say or do.
Any promise they make is routinely broken. The answer we are told is proportional representation.... really..... Switzerland and Ireland cited as examples. I don't agree.
What is needed is to distinguish between governance and government. Government requires a small majority and a well thought out and defined mandate that is reflected in a 60 to 75% voter participation. Governance unfortunately just requires the authority to impose the will of it. That, sadly, is what most western "democracy's" have to accept.
Canada is not alone in this sorry state. The interference of government in business and finance have resulted in inept and unsustainable policies throughout, and the result that primary, secondary and tertiary industry has fled offshore, what we are left with is burgeoning bureaucracy's that employ over half of the working population of the country. The government becomes the mainstay industry. If we want to see the future of that look at the U.S.S.R.
- W.Palmer, North Vancouver, Canada
Zac Goldsmith's fine words about direct democracy are all very well, but if the excessively authoritarian LibDem council of Richmond is in any way typical of others the way to restore faith in politics is not to give more powers to local governments who refuse to adhere to the basic principles of democracy. We in Richmond live under a regime that shows nothing but amused contempt for majority public opinion whether it is expressed by petitions, letters to the local press, at council meetings, by the results of their own sham consultations, or most recently by a referendum organized by the Electoral Reform Services which concluded that 93.5% of the nearly 2000 residents who returned ballots (a turn out of 47% of those polled) do not wish the council to sell public land on the Twickenham riverside for development of luxury private housing. What is even more frightening for those of us who thought we lived in a democracy is that while the other parties, Conservative, Green and Labour have come out strongly against this environmentally, economically, aesthetically and socially destructive plan our sainted MP Vince Cable cannot see beyond party politics and has refused to listen to the urgent pleas of his constituents for help in fighting off this development.
- Sheila Hale, twickenham, uk
Zac can teach a thing or two to our local MP Vince Cable whose local ‘halo’ has virtually fallen off, even if his national one appears in-tact, just. Local democracy has fallen apart in Twickenham, we have a rogue Lib Dem council on St Vince's own back door, the issues highlighted in Rotten Boroughs in Private Eye in the last two publications June & July 2009.
The local community have been forced to carry out their own Referendum, paid from their own pocket, with a resounding 93.5% of the community on a 47.1% return against flogging off the land on Twickenham Riverside, something the Lib Dems even now refuse to acknowledge. What is in it going against the local population Vince?
So Vince, is this to spite the local population, whom have been demanding this land be used as amenity space. Even having gone through the planning process and received permission seems to have no weight on Richmond council.
With community, youth and public amenity at it's core, Cable still says it is not his business, and the fellow Lib Dem, Council leader Lourie, refuses to capitulate and follow the local people's wishes, despite almost 100% against, a massive local petition, and now the retailers in the town showing their whole-hearted disgust.
This new wave of democracy is desperately needed, thank you Zac, standing against Susan Kramer, I think you fundamentally understand, you were there too at the Twickenham Community meeting on the day the Sustainable Communities Act became law.
- Scott Naylor, Twickenham
It's not so much apathy as the fact that people feel powerless. I have a 16 year old who is interested in politics but disgusted by what he reads and experiences -especially in his local Borough - Richmond upon Thames. His Ward Councillor told him she wasn't interested in his views, other Councillors who ignore the concerns of constituents, rigged CONsultations, withdrawing daily hot meals and contact with people and replacing with frozen food, paying lip service to the Sustainable Communities Act only to tell residents it doesn't apply whenever they try to use it, unpopular schemes forced upon residents, questionable planning decisions....the list goes on. It's no wonder people are turning away from politics. I don't know which is worse - Local Councils who abuse their powers or Central Government, who don't lead by example.
- Julie Hill, Twickenham
Zac is going to have a problem on his hands when he is selected as M.P. for Richmond Park. The LibDem council in charge of Richmond upon Thames totally ignores the electorate of the Borough. Recently, a Referendum was conducted on whether a site by the Thames in Twickenham should be sold to a private developer and a whopping 93.5% said "no". Did the Council take any notice? Good heavens no. The Council knows best. So, it might be a good idea to give the power back to the people, but only when democracy is alive and kicking in the area. Here the Council CONS the public - CON being Council speak for CONsult, and then ignores the result if it doesn't like it.
- Sue Hamilton-Miller, Twickenham, Middlesex
Whilst this may sound all nice and good in theory, there are several things I would take issue with:
Firstly, voter apathy. It is everywhere. This is because politics (and policy) for the large part is boring and tedious. The general public tends only to care about grandiose ideas at the largest scale or microscopic issues at the smallest scale. For instance, people care about the perceived "threat" of immigration (regardless of whether it affects them) or the fact that their binmen never turn up on time. The bits in between, such as where we're going to find the money to implement the aid proposals for the G8 pledges we made last month - your average joe couldn't care less.
Being a politician is a full time job - this is reflected in the fact that no democracy (even your vaunted Switzerland) has done away with a political elite. Your claim that people do care is for the large part wrong, and in most cases what the public proposes is half-baked and poorly thought through.
Secondly, the examples you point to are pretty poor - Switzerland hardly ever has referendums and California has only ever recalled one Governor. I don't see why a British version would fare better.
Thirdly, the EU. This is a sideshow to your argument. Yes, I want to see more democracy in it. But it is controlled by an ELECTED parliament and more importantly ELECTED heads of government.
And finally - the cost? Direct democracy isn't cheap. Referendums cost 10s of millions of pounds.
- Charles Barry, Cheshire
As a resident of the constituency Zac is fighting to become the next Member of Parliament for, this article is doubly illuminating and importand.
Richmond Park is one of the worst areas for local democracy I have ever come across in my life. Our liberal council (of which I USED to be a supporter for) regularly does not bother to ask local peoples' opinion or 'consults' after a decision has already been made. Our MP Susan Kramer is not much better and has voted the way of her party 99.4 per cent of the time - quite staggering when you consider she has had four different leaders! A machine would do a cheaper and more efficient job!
Having previously been a liberal voter, my, and many of my friends votes will this time be going to Mr Goldsmith.
- Garry Thorton, Canbury UK
Direct Democracy means that we the Voters, with Registration, Account and pin, could vote on most issues from home, propose Laws and change Laws via the Internet. This ' blurb' about Democracy is rubbish, MP's still desperately trying to hang onto their jobs, expenses and power.
We have the brains, we have the Internet now we want our right to Vote Online on our Democracy.
- Clif
- Clif, London
Without doubt Labour with their majority in the House of Commons have rendered democracy ever more impotent over the last twelve years and the electorate seem to have been brow-beaten into either submission or apathy accordingly.
The Country desperately needs a well-overdue Election; perhaps with fresh ideas from Cameron and Zac Goldsmith we can usher in a new, better form of Government which does look and act in such a totalitarian manner as 'New' Labour.
- R.Macdonald, London, England
As Damien Hockney observes, "The reason for central government continuing to strip local government of its powers is that many of these powers now lie with the EU".
Precisely: so the very FIRST national referendum ought to be on the desirability of EU membership or, at least, our membership of the EU in its present form.
- Croyboy, Croydon
Yes, of course direct democracy is the answer, and the Swiss system is a very good example of how it works. But the result of a national referendum must be, as in Switzerland, BINDING, otherwise it's a mere gesture.
However, can you imagine our "representatives" condescending to give us the chance? ...Would turkeys vote for Christmas?
- Croyboy, Croydon
My opinion of Zac Goldsmith has been totally reversed! At last a politician who publicly states that the majority of voters in this country do not vote, primarily because they realise that MP's vote for their own/party vested interests, not, the electorates, and, they feel their votes do not count! Until the system is changed to make MP's accountable to the people they supposedly represent, democracy (if you can call it that) will suffer! What MP's need to realise is that what needs fixing is the 'system' not the electorate! (which also highlights how out of touch, and, ignorant our MP's really are!)Well said Zac, for telling it the way it is, and, politicians of all parties remember, 'It is the system, stupid' that needs change not the other way round, forget that at your own peril, because people are getting angrier by the day, and, what Zac is advocating will eventually come to pass! For, what is the alternative???
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London.
Unfortunately this scheme is only possible for the most low level of decision making or some limited issues, and will miss out on most of the things people care about - thus creating even more conflict between the political class and the people. The reason for central government continuing to strip local government of its powers is that many of these powers now lie with the EU. You cannot now have referenda on important aspects of local government when there is no longer any power to devolve the decisions about them. Indeed when the Swiss were considering the possibility of EU membership, an EU Commissioner on Swiss tv made clear that practically all the subjects of potential referenda would not be allowable...the decisions on these being made centrally (ie at EU level). What Zac Goldsmith needs to do is to give a number of practical examples drawn from what his potential constituents ask for (just take his own issues regarding the environment, not just housing or planning, important though they are)...and then see what can be done by popular vote (which, of course, is practically nothing). The Swiss were basically told that vast swathes of referenda would be disallowed and that they would no longer even be able to put those votes to the people - no wonder even the politicians dared not put EU membership to the vote in the end.
- Damian Hockney, london, uk
"We even have a situation where local councillors cannot be involved in planning decisions where they have expressed an opinion.
So if a councillor is elected to combat a particular scheme, he or she is automatically prevented from having a say in council because their position is regarded as prejudiced."
Yes, because local planning committees are required to act in a quasi-judicial capacity, making their decisions on the evidence put before them and nothing else.
- Tonyb, Melbourne, Australia
People do indeed care passionately about how they are governed.
Simple fact is that between 1997 and 2006, Labour were seen as a friendly, low-tax alternative to the Conservatives (Tony Blair MP=I am Tory Plan B), which is why they were allowed to stay in power. Labour were conservative, with a small "c". Also, despite dodgy wars and stealth taxes, we were allowed to get on, live our lives and make money.
However, since Gormless Clown took over, the mood has changed and there is an ever-increasing focus on controlling every aspect of life and forcing us to pay for it. There has also been a dawning realisation that vast sums of money has been pee-d up the wall in bank bailouts and civil service pensions, whilst very little progress has been made in improving public services or local facilities such as schools and hospitals. Education and NHS budgets have risen, but only to pay higher salaries, rather than to build new hospitals or reduce classroom sizes.
The combination of a backlash against Clown and resentment at being cajolled and fleeced will see a big voter turnout in 2010.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one
One other great potential benefit of direct democracy could be to curb the fanaticism of the political elites for environmentalism and the AGW scam - moving away from the manufactured consensus towards real debate.
- Mark, Bath
There are a some campaigns for direct democracy going around at the moment: http://campaignfordemocracy.org.uk/ is one who visited Bristol last month and gave a short talk. After hearing the speaker most people agreed with him, but support is lacking. Does the conservative party, or do you personally, give your backing to any of these campaigns?
Alejandro, Bristol
- Ale Fernandez, Bristol, UK
Zac none of this matters we are ruled by Europe just not offically YET! Would you Party be honest and give the people of this country a vote on Europe?
- Gary, Brentwood
