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In recent days, the historian Eric Hobsbawn said that the Arab Spring reminded him of the 1848 Revolutions in Europe (which were largely inspired by National Liberals). As the ‘developing’ world looks around for an alternative to their oppressive regimes and the West suffers from the debt fallout of ‘neo-liberal’ economics, we are beginning to see the green-shoots of national liberalism reappear. Individuals from around Europe and further afield in Africa are expressing an interest in the ideology of national liberalism and the answers it can offer them as a way out of the mess their politicians/regimes have created. We hope to gave a voice next year to some of them. In the meantime, we are publishing our first issue of our new ‘ideological’ magazine – The New Horizon. We hope this will inspire our growing band of adherents to take that first step of translating ideas into action!

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Please click on poster to download the first issue

Despite the failure of the Parliamentary Referendum bid over the UK’s involvement in the EU, the use of referendums to decide upon major issues is the way forward. Indeed the Coalition’s three-line whip (the strongest ‘threat’ in their parliamentary armoury) shows how frightened the politicians are of the people. The professional politicians consistently take decisions which are unpopular, costly and often downright wrong!

The National Liberal Party recently launched a petition calling upon the use of referenda to decide policy on major issues. We feel the people have been ignored for long enough and the country mismanaged by politicians with their own concerns and aspirations at heart, and not those of the people or the country. We feel it is time to consult the people!

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There are two things you can do:

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1) SIGN THE PETITION TO VOTE ON YOUR FUTURE!

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Whatever you party political affiliation and no matter who you vote for, if you feel the people need to be consulted and not ignored, please add your signature to our petition at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/consult-the-people.html

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2) SEND A LETTER TO THE PRESS TO GET OTHERS TO FOLLOW!

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Dear Editor,

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A recent survey by the Parliamentary Committee on Standards in Public Life showed only 26% of people actually trust politicians, possibly because of the way they have continuously mismanaged the country and ignored the opinions of the people? For example, we have bureaucrats in Brussels imposing laws upon us, bankers bailed out through our taxes and many of those who we trust to serve us in Parliament abuse their position for personal gain. Is this really democracy or just a very poor imitation?

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Things are different in one of the most successful countries in the world, a country which is not being gobbled up by the EU superstate, and which has real democracy at its heart, Switzerland. It may not be perfect in a number of ways, but at least it is a country that via referenda trusts its people as part of the decision making process. Most recently the Swiss opposed nuclear power via such a referendum.

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There are so many important issues which need to be decided upon in this country, but not by politicians who seem detached from the real world, but by ordinary people that have to deal with everyday issues. Direct democracy needs placing on the agenda, so people can decide amongst other issues, on our future in Europe, whether we go to war, levels of immigration and whether we should have an English Parliament.

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The National Liberal Party has therefore launched a petition for the extended use of referenda in our political system as in Switzerland. This form of direct democracy would mean the opinions of the people on major issues could no longer be ignored. I urge anyone that supports the extended use of referenda to sign the petition at www.gopetition.com/petitions/consult-the-people.html.

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Yours sincerely

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National Liberals believe we need to encourage workplace ownership and support the growth of the ‘third economic’ sector i.e. the self-employed wherever possible. Where not, we favour smaller rather than larger businesses and where practical co-operatives. It is inevitable however that many workers will still work for ‘someone else’ and whilst society benefits from the fruits of everyone’s labour there is ‘another’ more personal side to economic endeavour, namely, industrial relations e.g. the working relationship between employees and owners/management.

A satisfied workforce will always work harder and more efficiently but with the best will in the world there will always be some managers and/or owners who will mistreat their employees. Employment law was brought in to protect such employees from the unfair treatment. In the event, for example, of dismissal, an employee has the right to seek remedy via an Employment Tribunal. Presently, that employee must have worked at least one year for the company.

Big Business reward?

The Coalition however, in its proposed ‘Employers Charter’, intends to increase that to two years saying that it will make it easier for businesses to take staff on because it will allay employers’ fears of vexatious tribunal cases? Yet the Government admits that this move will only reduce tribunal cases (including many justified ones) by 2,000. It is hard to believe that businesses don’t take on staff because they can’t sack them after a year? In reality it will simply be a ‘Bad Bosses Charter’ as it will allow them to dismiss hundreds of thousands more employees with impunity. The motive no doubt designed to reward big business for their political support rather than reducing unemployment.

E-mail now!

Whilst we might expect such a move from the Conservatives we didn’t expect it from their Liberal partners. We urge everyone including all Liberals (national or social) to urgently write to the Business Secretary and Liberal Democrat Vince Cable MP. E-mail cablev@parliament.uk the following:

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Dear Mr Cable,

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We are concerned to hear that the Government is considering introducing an Employers Charter which includes proposals for increasing the period at which an employee is legally protected from an unreasonable employer from one to two years.

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This is a fundamental attack on employee rights. We are particularly dismayed to learn that this has the backing of the Liberal Democrats. We urge the Coalition, especially the Liberal Democrats, to think again and to withdraw this specific proposal and retain the one year protection from unfair dismissal which applies in most cases.

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Further we call on the ConDem coalition to abandon plans to introduce a payment into court before an action against an employer can be brought.

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Also sign the petition to Nick Clegg at http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43004.html now!