Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Reclaim power: Independent founder's bid to rescue politics from party elites

Tomorrow's unveiling of Democracy2015 aims to address growing voter mistrust in Westminster

Oliver Duggan
Tuesday 04 September 2012 03:45 EDT
Comments
The Independent’s founding editor Andreas Whittam Smith with the
newspaper’s intern students
The Independent’s founding editor Andreas Whittam Smith with the newspaper’s intern students (Susannah Ireland)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A campaign to revolutionise British politics in time for the next general election will be launched tomorrow by The Independent's founding editor, Andreas Whittam Smith.

The ambitious project, called Democracy2015, is the first in Britain to explicitly encourage people successful in other walks of life to enter the political stage. To mark its beginning, Mr Whittam Smith today publishes a critique of the day-to-day operation of British democracy, highlighting nationwide disillusionment with the institutions and practices of Westminster.

The incompetence of government and betrayal of voter trust by career politicians has chipped away at the public's faith in politics, Mr Whittam Smith writes, undermining the authority of Parliament and alienating the people who really matter.

"A political class has gradually emerged in the last 25 years whose only interest is in winning elections and gaining power," he said. "They are dominated by party politics and are fundamentally incompetent.

"Even the politicians who form the Cabinet have absolutely no notion of how to manage the country; Cameron comes from public relations, the Chancellor from Tory research, the Foreign Secretary's background is full-time politics, and the Home Secretary was a full-time politician."

Operating under the banner "People Politics, Not Party Politics", the campaign will seek to reverse public apathy by offering the chance for members of the public to engage with current affairs beyond general elections.

Andreas Whittam Smith: Our democracy is desperately sick. This is your chance to help save it

Follow @Democracy2015

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in