I have always tried to shy away from entering into politics on this forum but perhaps now is the time. Simply – politics is broken, very broken. So regardless of your political persuasion or your views on Brexit is it not time to question how effectively we are being represented? The marketing approach can help here.
I will, however, only suggest some areas that might be worthy of further debate.
As a product in its simplest sense political parties present themselves to us through their “brochure” – the manifesto. But how representative is it of what they intend and how much of it is actually delivered?
How well is our democracy working when our representatives consider themselves representatives of Westminster? Are they not our representatives in Westminster? Moreover, when was the last time you were consulted on any upcoming vote?
Politics as a product is broken – engagement
The availability of digital technology means that large scale engagement has never been easier. But how often are constituents actually consulted ahead of key votes?
So, given the whipping system and the dearth of free votes in the house how well is our version of democracy actually working? If votes cast are determined by party whips and / or personal agendas how well do those votes represent the views of constituents?
In short – it has long been said that our system is not perfect. But it’s about as good as it gets, isn’t it? Are we glass half-full, or half empty?
Can it not be done better? Maybe, by offering easier access for a broader range of parties? What about having no parties at all? Could MPs be true representatives of the people rather than the “closed shop” we could be experiencing now? Free votes on all issues? Electronic engagement ahead of votes to determine local views?
Discuss – I’m not arguing for anarchy merely a better focussed system based on representation, engagement and open voting……