The Case for Change

Why we need to reset the UK's democracy.

Little has improved in the UK in the last decade.

Citizens’ rights have been eroded.

Living standards and life expectancy have declined.

There is little sense of a national plan to provide a sustainable, secure and robust economy to support our social expectations.

The Union is shattered, and our relationship with our European neighbours has been trashed.

This situation cannot continue indefinitely.

What do we need to do to move to a better country?

Contribute Act

What is Broken?

Governing for the few

For the last decade, we have lived through a government at war with the interests of most people in this country. We have seen attacks on public servants and the NHS, underfunding social care and local councils stripped of necessary resources.

Instead, care and attention have been lavished on the super-rich and the financial sector rather than us, the citizens. After a disastrous free-market budget under Liz Truss, we are all poorer with damage to pensions, higher taxes, inflation and interest rates.

It doesn’t have to be like this because you deserve better.

Sham Democracy

The last UK government to win over 50% of the popular vote was in 1931. Since then all elections have resulted in a government with fewer people voting for them than against them. The situation in local government is even worse. People distrust politicians, and apathy is the biggest party in the UK. This must change to maintain a healthy democracy and a vibrant country.

The unwritten constitution is in tatters, as politicians without morals do as they please while the PM gets to police the ethics of their own government. We need fair votes which means every vote counts towards change.

Inequality & Economic Decline

2022 was a truly horrendous year, dominated by the arrival of double-digit inflation that drove a 3.3 per cent (or £800 per household) hit to real disposable incomes – the biggest annual fall in a century. We have significant regional inequality and serious differences between generations.

Social mobility is going backwards as your parents’ income and background limit what you can achieve, regardless of your ability. Housing is unfairly distributed and funded. This must change.

We need a fairer society with more equal growth across the country. We need young people to meet their potential to have the education and training opportunities to live their best life, regardless of their parent’s income.

A Future without any plan

The world is less secure than at any time in recent history – war in Europe, energy threats, climate change, loss of biodiversity and failures to regulate for a clean environment. Getting out of this mess as a country means we need a plan. To be able to think and act long-term and to avoid the political potholes of short-term interests.

There is no excuse for not planning for the correct number of teachers and NHS staff or ensuring access to affordable energy. That means we must change the way the UK does government.

It needs a new political culture that develops consensus and works to overcome our country’s challenges rather than scoring cheap points at Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Injustice

A properly functioning country needs a legal system that works, where no one is above the law and criminals are brought to justice and prosecuted promptly. That means a court system that has the capacity to hear cases in good time and with access to legal representation for all.

It means enough police to protect our communities and ensure that criminals are consistently prosecuted. We need a prison and probation system that actively reduces reoffending. We need regulators with the staff and resources to do their job properly, and we need the tax authorities to have enough staff to end non-payment of tax and tax evasion.

We all need protection from physical, financial and online harms.

How to Make Change



Reimagine better

Our politics needs a complete overhaul after a decade of decline and corruption. We cannot continue using political systems invented in the 18th and 19th centuries.

We live in a world of complexity and full of challenges. Responding will take imagination and new ways of working.

We need to work out how to run the country better, create policies that fit the 21st century, and bring politics back to the people.

We need a new social agreement that understands society only functions if the government properly provides vision and leadership.

v

Speak truth to power

The gulf between politicians and citizens is increasing.

The government is arrogant and patronising. It performs stunts instead of governing. We need to challenge and demand better.

After the 2024 General Election, there is an opportunity to instigate a deep conversation about the nation’s future.

ALL will put pressure on the political parties from outside to match pressure within.



Collaborate to win

Making the change Britain needs requires us to voice a common message and speak together.

ALL works with others in civil society who support citizens’ interests to campaign and demand change together.

As political parties become smaller, fewer people participate in policy making, and currently, the government ignores citizens. This has to change.

Civil society, activists, and politicians need to demand better ways of working. One where citizens are central to decision-making and choosing how missions and goals are achieved.