e-Petitions: We should have one too, says Lord Norton
From:
James Gilmour
Date:
May 22 10:16 UTC
Short link
Peter > Sent: Thursday, May 22, 2008 10:39 AM
> Looks like e-petitions are becoming well embedded in the UK
> constitution. Already according to Hazel Blears (quoted by ICELE):
>
> The UK is one of the biggest petition signing countries in Europe
and the World and
> Ministers are to harness this as a key way of giving local people
more say.
>
> Link: http://www.icele.org/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=260
>
> Is this a good thing? Doesn't it distract from other issues
> like over-centralisation or unfair electoral processes?
Of course it's just a diversionary tactic from the bigger and more
fundamental aspects of democracy and participation. Petitions and
e-petitions have their place, no doubt about that. But it seems clear to me
that the current political embrace of e-petitioning is to create an illusion
of involvement, both for those who sign the petitions and for the
politicians "who have done something". Please note, that is NOT a
politically partisan point - I would say the same no matter which group of
politicians were involved or in power.