Forwarded communication from Michael Macpherson on "Preliminary Proposals for
the introduction of Elements of Direct Democracy in Great Britain and Northern
Ireland". See link mentioned below, http://www.iniref.org/gb-debate-dd.html,
where everybody is invited to post repleis, further comments.
Mirek
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Debate DD/GB
Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 12:55:20 +0200
From: I&R~GB INIREF <info(at)iniref.org>
Organization: I&R~GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum http://www.iniref.org
To: DDgb(at)iniref.org
Further to the letter copied below:
1) Experts' comments plus outline of proposals are now easily accessible
in WWW via http://www.iniref.org/gb-debate-dd.html
2) An additional expert's comment -- "anonymous" -- has been received
which may be found via the above link.
May 18: An additional expert's comment -- by Kieron O'Hara, University of
Southampton -- has been received which may be found via http://www.iniref.org/gb-debate-dd.html
Kieron O'Hara. On direct democracy a "constructive sceptic". Senior research
fellow in Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton,
and a fellow of the Web Science Research Initiative. His books include: 'Plato
and the Internet' (2002); 'Trust: From Socrates to Spin' (2004); 'After Blair:
Conservatism Beyond Thatcher' (2005); 'The Referendum Roundabout' (2006)
Yours sincerely,
Michael Macpherson
EXPERTS
Michael Efler e-mail michael.efler(at)mehr-demokratie.de
Ph.D. Political scientist and economist. (Doctoral thesis: International
Investment Agreements – current status and reform options) Board member,
Mehr Demokratie e.V. Germany.
Miroslav Kolar e-mail wddm(at)mkolar.org
Physicist, democracy reformer. Lives in Canada. Ph.D. in Theoretical
Solid State Physics (Prague) Principal Scientist; LS Computing Ltd..
Field: “Modelling of reaction-diffusion and electrochemical processes”.
CV http://www.mkolar.org/CV/ Founder Direct Democracy Meeting Place http://democracy.mkolar.org/
Paul Ruppen e-mail forum(at)europa-magazin.ch
Swiss political scientist PhD in Sociology and Political Science
(University of Bern). Editor of “Europa-Magazin” www.europa-magazin.ch
and President of the “Forum für Direkte Demokratie” in Zürich.
Milan Valach e-mail Valach(at)iol.cz
Ph.D. Direct democracy campaigner and academic, Czech Republic
Faculty of Education, Department of Civics, Masaryk University Brno
Czech Movement for Direct Democracy http://www.pdemokracie.ecn.cz/
Tim Weber e-mail tim.weber(at)mehr-demokratie.de
Political scientist. Mehr Demokratie Bremen, Germany
Anonymous guest
Replies may be sent to the unnamed author via info(at)iniref.org
Regards,
MJM
-----------------------------------------
4th May 20007
Dr. Michael Macpherson
I&R ~ GB Citizens' Initiative and Referendum
Campaign for direct democracy in Britain http://www.iniref.org/
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Some of you will recall the paper:
Preliminary Proposals for the introduction of Elements of Direct
Democracy in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Collated January 2007 by Michael Macpherson (May be reviewed at http://www.iniref.org/dd4proposals.doc )
The four sets of proposals originate from four different groups (date of
proposal in brackets)
Unlock Democracy, a joint programme of Charter88 and New Politics
Network (2006)
Power Inquiry (2006)
Our Say (2006)
I&R~GB Campaign for Citizens’ Initiative and Referendum (1994-1999)
-------------------------------
In response to our request a number of practitioners and academics,
"Experts", have commented on one or more of the Proposals.
These comments, with an invitation to reply, are to be found in the
attached document.
We look forward to productive exchange and discussion.
Yours sincerely,
Michael Macpherson
--------------------------------
CIRCULATION
Power Inquiry/Make it an issue. Pam Giddy, Daniel Leighton, Helena Kennedy
Unlock Democracy. Ron Bailey, Peter Facey, James Graham
Our Say. Saira Khan, Carl, Mark McCarthy
Diana Wallis MEP Yorkshire and the Humber
Alexis P. Lautenberg, Ambassador of Switzerland in UK
Doug Stewart, Electoral Commission UK
Bruno Kaufmann, Initiative and Referendum Institute
Theo Schiller, Prof. European Research Centre for Direct Democracy,
Marburg FRG
Volker Mitttendorf, Political Science, Marburg FRG
Michael Meacher MP Oldham West & Royton
Bob Russel MP Colchester
Douglas Carswell MP Direct Democracy
Paul Carline
Claudine Nierth, Chair Mehr Demokratie FRG
Ronald Pabst
Daniel Schily Mehr Demokratie, N. Rhein-Westfalia
Roman Huber, CEO Mehr-Demokratie FRG
Gerald Haefner, Chair Mehr-Demokratie FRG
Otmar Jung
Andreas Paust Informationsstelle Bürgerbegehren
Stefan Lausch Initiative für mehr Demokratie - South Tirol, Italy
Jos Verhulst
Brian Beedham, The Economist
Ian Budge University of Essex
Matt Qvortrup Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland.
Colin Stark Canadians for Direct Democracy
PierVincenzo Uleri, ‘Cesare Alfieri’ University of Florence
Roland Erne University College Dublin
John G. Matsusaka President IRI, University of South California
Graham Smith, University of Southampton
Arjen Nijeboer, Referendum Platform, Netherlands
Bert Penninckx Movement for direct democracy in Belgium democratie.nu
Heiko Dittmer Movement for direct democracy in Belgium democratie.nu
Stuart Weir, University of Essex and Democratic Audit