Big changes are needed to the election system

We need change in many areas in the UK. One of those is the election system. There is no way that any party is going to make those changes before the 2029 election - even if Labour was somehow forced into a General Election before that date and lose. Hope springs eternal...

To be brutally honest, I am not hopeful for continued democracy in the UK anyway. At this point I think we might see a Green, Liberal, Labour alliance in the 2029 election just to keep Reform, Restore and (if they are still around) Conservatives from power. And I think there are more Islamists, brain-washed children, kidults, benefits scroungers, anarchists and communists in the UK than there are sensible, centre, conservatives or even 'far right' voters.

If they get in I don't think we will see an elected right wing government in power possibly ever again in the UK.

Anyway, the point of my article is a follow on from one I wrote about on compulsory voting, why Australia has it and why we should have it in the UK. You can find that article here.

So, here are my ideas for the round 1 of the new voting system, starting with eligibilty

1) Minimum voting age 25 and maxiumum 85 (yes, good old age discrimination)

2) Must be a British citizen (citizenship only granted after 10 years of tax contributions to the UK

3) In-person booth voting only, postal vote abolished (very small set of circumstances like actually being in hospital and unable to attend)

4) Current tax payer in the private sector

Who would be disqualified from voting

1) Civil servants and anyone in the pay of the Government. So, NHS doctors, nurses, soldiers, councillors, teachers etc. Anyone who has takes a shilling from the state. If you want your vote back go and work in the private sector.

2) Anyone in jail, anyone with a criminal record for terrorism, murder or rape

3) Anyone who doesn't pay tax

3) Anyone certified as mentally ill

4) Non-citizens

Yes, that is a lot isn't it? And some of that isn't even fair. I don't care. Almost everyone who isn't eligible to vote on this list could move into a category where they could vote if they took agency

.

Exceptions?

There is a case for those who contribute to society but not financially. Yes, OK, A full time carer? Maybe. A volunterr? Sure. But what a lot of thought needs to go into creating a system that can;t be gamed. I think for the time being with the way things are, the simplest is to effectively link a P45 to a vote.

Those seeking election

They have to be born in the UK. Yes, a naturalised citizen can vote but they can never stand for office. That's life, if you don't like that don't come.

Extended time frames

The vote in a general election would be extended to one week to make it possible for almost everyone to attend - even if you are overseas.

Don't let's go through the maths but ChatGPT says that makes around 33 milion people. As the last election had a 28.8 million turnout, that is actually an increase - and I fancy a better calibre of voter.

Education

So, to move this along eventually we want a more engaged, more deserving and informed voter who contributes more to society.

To that end I propose that a public holiday is given for the general election. Courses on civic duty, elections and the way government works are incentivized through tax breaks and paid days off. Eventually we could get to a testing system to see if you have eligibilty to vote. i.e. you are not a complete moron who can be cooerced into voting for anyone.

Time is set aside in school to teach children the importance of democracy, the contributions required by citizens to society (and monitored for impartiality).

The idea is to make the vote for government something that is earned. Not something that is given. A privilige and not a right.

And why is this important? Becasue democracy itself isd under threat from malign forces that are actively using the mechanisms of democracy to destroy it. We need to be saved it from itself. A very thorough and serious intervention to do so - and fast.