Dear John,


Labour’s manifesto will be published this morning. Barring any major electoral upset, this document will likely outline the policy platform of our next government.


We’re anticipating 125 pages (A5) of proposals – hopefully pinning Labour down on their positions just three weeks out from polling day. According to Labour sources, Starmer is not expected to “pull any big rabbits out of the hat” with the platform, and the party is emphasising that “wealth creation” will be at the core of the manifesto.


Democracy experts are concerned that there isn’t going to be a sufficient commitment to the democratic revival we desperately need.


That’s why Open Britain has put together our own mini-manifesto for democracy, streamlined from the Functional Democracy Goals report (aided by experts across the sector) that we published late last year.

These are five simple yet essential changes that the next government can make to protect us from the rising tide of the far-right and restore functionality to our political system:

  1. Adopting Proportional Representation: Our current First-Past-The-Post system fails to reflect the true diversity of public opinion. Proportional representation ensures that every vote counts and that our Parliament genuinely represents the electorate.


  2. Removing ‘Dark Money’ from Politics: The pervasive influence of untraceable political donations undermines public trust. We need stringent transparency and accountability measures to cleanse our political system of this corrupting force.


  3. Protecting Our Civil Liberties: Recent years have seen increasing threats to our fundamental freedoms. A renewed commitment to human rights standards is essential to safeguard these liberties. The UK cannot leave the ECHR.


  4. Reforming the Media: Our media landscape must be reformed to serve the public interest, not just corporate or political agendas. An informed electorate is the cornerstone of a functioning democracy.


  5. Votes at 16: Lowering the voting age to 16 will engage a new generation of citizens and ensure that our democracy is vibrant and inclusive into the future.


We’re urging Labour – for its own benefit as well as the country’s – to think ahead to the 2029 election, and decide whether neglecting our democracy is really worth the risk. With the far-right on the rise in the US, Europe, and around the world, can we really take the chance of another election ripe with disinformation and dark money?


The full manifesto is available below, as well as an opportunity to add your name in support if you’re prepared to stand up to Labour for these five essential proposals.

All the best,


Mark


Mark Kieran

CEO, Open Britain