We need to formally constitute as a political party. And I need volunteers to kick this off for me. Here is why:
One of Blair’s numerous Anti-Libertarian laws was a new provision that the only description allowed on the ballot paper is the official, registered party name. Before Blair you could call yourself what you liked to guide the voters.
If you don’t register a party name, you can just be described as “independent” on the ballot. I am proud to be independent. But if there are several people all described as “independent”, the public in the polling booth might get confused which is which.
Parties can spend as much as they like on national advertising, and have National HQs and party offices. All the main parties have offices in Norwich. The costs of these Norwich offices and their national advertising do not count against the very tight by-election spending limit. An independent standing for election will have his office costs and all advertising counted against his expenses – leaving nothing for campaigning.
So we are going to form “Put An Honest Man Into Parliament” as the name of a party. The electoral commission registration form allows up to two alternative descriptions. The alternative description will be “Put An Honest Woman Into Parliament”. The purpose of the party is to get elected honest non-racist people of independent mind to renew our democracy. Future candidates can use either description as appropriate.
I need someone to download the registration forms and get them filled in today and in to the Electoral Commission. If a commenter on this site who I can recognise will volunteer I would be most grateful. You’ll need to knock up a short anarchic constitution. You’ll have to pay the 150 pound fee till I can get back to reimburse you! You can be the leader 🙂 I think legally we need two members.
I hope to get back Friday but this cannot wait for this reason. It takes 20 days for the Electoral Commission to register a new party. Once the election is called – and it could be called any time – we only have ten days or so to get in the nomination, and the party must be registered by then. So it could already be too late, or we might just make it. If not, we go ahead with the simple independent description.
The party can be registered to a home address for now, but we will quickly move our national HQ to a North Norwich office. We will be undertaking some national advertising, and it is our genuine intention to stand candidates elsewhere come the general election.
In response to all the volunteering offers – yes! All help needed – canvassers, leafletters, office workers, drivers, media handlers, IT campaign organisers, graphic artists, printers, fundraisers, volunteer coordinators, diary keeper, candidate cheerer uppers. Will be looking to establish the office and rent a house in Norwich North very quickly.
Doh! URL came out wrong.
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/electoral_commission_pdf_file/0004/13495/registeringpolparty_final_23814-6305__E__N__S__W__.pdf
There’s a fist for this site. I just deleted my own comment as too rude.
Stevie
The woed “party” should not appear on the end and “into” is one word.
“Put an Honest Man into Parliament”.
There is a limit of six words allowed!
Don’t forget to register the domain name. E.g. http://www.putanhonestmanintoparliament.org.uk
seems to be free
Have you considered registering a name with satiric overtones? Thinking here of Auberon Waugh when he stood as a candidate of the Dog Lovers’ Party – an allusion to an alleged threat to kill the dog of Norman Scott (Jeremy Thorpe’s ‘friend’)
Craig,
I have completed the registration form and emailed it to your Tiscali address for checking. Regards
The “very tight by-election spending limit” is actually £100,000 – see page 37 of http://tinyurl.com/5er73a
Craig,
I genuinely wish you well.
However, you are on record as saying that you are against “party” politics.
I understand and bye and large agree with your reasoning.
I also understand what you say about the system being skewed against independents and towards parties.
But, I can’t help but think that you have you have “sold out” and compromised at the very first hurdle.
Exciting times I know but think about it (please).
I’d be delighted to contribute a Norwich telephone number – calls delivered to any location!
Now – would that be taking advantage of modern technology or would it be… cheating?
Good work all. Sorry for going off topic, although I asked the question in the beginning becuase I was thinking about jumping the gun.. no need however.
POP – Peoples Oversight Party
TOP – The Oversight Party
TAP – The Accountability Party
PAP – Peoples Accountability PArty
Haven’t read the entire thread, just butting in to say I strongly advise against party constitution and you should run as an independent under your own name.
Party formation for a single candidate would be a joke. Run entirely under your own name; it has stood you in good stead thus far.
Dear Craig
How about
The Ethical Candidate Party?
If Parliament is about one thing it should be about people having ethics.
Yours sincerely
George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
How about
“Let’s party !”
“The Norwich Union”
or to be serious “Reform”
no idea if this helps but I rushed this off on the Guardian comment column today when the G reported on Brown’s reform ideas……or lack of reform ideas
H
is that it? The big idea.
A debate on electoral reform. A debate no less
Tightening of the rules on what MPs can steal. Coo ; impressive stuff.
A commission , wow , a whole commission on House of Commons Rules. Coo.
a review of the expenses system for peers. Gosh. How radical
the 30 year rule is reduced to 20. That is a really major constitutional reform. That’ll convince me that Gordon is serious
Small minded stuff for small minded insiders. Nothing for the people.
This is a joke. A poor joke but a joke. An insult. A slap in the face for an outraged electorate. He cannot be serious
Go out & canvas for & vote for Craig Murray , my buddy , in North Norfolk. Get out there in your thousands , go to Ketts Hill , vote for none of the main parties & give the political class a statement that we will not tolerate the sleaze & the lies & being ignored any longer
Haward
no idea if this helps but I rushed this off on the Guardian comment column today when the G reported on Brown’s reform ideas……or lack of reform ideas
H
is that it? The big idea.
A debate on electoral reform. A debate no less
Tightening of the rules on what MPs can steal. Coo ; impressive stuff.
A commission , wow , a whole commission on House of Commons Rules. Coo.
a review of the expenses system for peers. Gosh. How radical
the 30 year rule is reduced to 20. That is a really major constitutional reform. That’ll convince me that Gordon is serious
Small minded stuff for small minded insiders. Nothing for the people.
This is a joke. A poor joke but a joke. An insult. A slap in the face for an outraged electorate. He cannot be serious
Go out & canvas for & vote for Craig Murray , my buddy , in North Norfolk. Get out there in your thousands , go to Ketts Hill , vote for none of the main parties & give the political class a statement that we will not tolerate the sleaze & the lies & being ignored any longer
Haward
Yassau, Rob
It is not a party in anthing but name. It has no political programme, imposes no discipline. It has three members and is not asking for more. That is why I am rejecting all the halpful “party” names people are suggesting.
It is a simple means of administration and of getting the slogan on the ballot. It is am administrative fiction forced on us by the rules. I am being open about it for reasons of transparency. But the voters will just see posters and leaflets that say – “Craig Murray – Independent – Put An Honest Man in Parliament”.
The latter phrase will be on the ballot paper to jog their memory. The word party will nowhere appear. It will not appear as a party to anyone. Nor is it in the normal sense. it is an adminstrative fiction for legal purposes.
Haward –
Thanks. Certainly cheers me up anyway!
Hmmmm …….I got the constituency wrong (all these places which practice incest are the same to me) & I am not offering any money (because you will just spend it on your moat)…….however we will get to Norwich North once the election is called & do what we can. Time to stick it up ’em. Once more into the fray with Don Murray-Quixote……..
“One of Blair’s numerous Anti-Libertarian laws was a new provision that the only description allowed on the ballot paper is the official, registered party name.”
OR
“One of Blair’s improvements to our election system was a new provision that discourages timewasters, nutters and vexatious litigants from abusing our hard-won democratic system.”
You take your choice.
Well done Stevie!
eddie spewed;
“One of Blair’s improvements to our election system was a new provision that discourages timewasters, nutters and vexatious litigants from abusing our hard-won democratic system.”
You take your choice.
=====
The choice is a no brainer; all of the 640 of the bastards, to a man of them. You little runt.
Sick of you going around and spamming this board to improve the general Gesundes Volksempfinden, as per the instructions you have received.
Blair ought to be in Hague and tried for crimes against humanity, along with treason, and being a wannabe Pinochet, as well as totally bollocksing this country to the mess that it is now.
You are obviously not aware of Craig’s new non-abuse policy. Calm down dear.
I don’t think the name is quite right. There are still some honest people around but they wouldn’t all be good MPs.
For clarification, we are not looking to set up a political party as such at this point. What Craig is doing is just taking a step to ensure that next to his name on the ballot paper are the words “Put an Honest Man into Parliament” as opposed to just the word “Independent”. This will help focus the minds of the electorate when it comes to voting.
Why not make the name of your party the first one that comes up by choosing an alphabetically early title?
Re: “paul” above denying climate change.
Climate change deniers know better than peer reviewed climatologists. Why? Because they wheel out a slight variance on the following (quoting Paul):
—
“The scientific evidence is against not for. Falling average temperature 1998 to present concurrent with rising CO2.”
—
1998. Always, always, 1998. That’s the exceptionally hot year they bring up without fail, because they are too stupid or too dishonest to understand climate change is not a straight line progression. And an exceptionally high peak, rather than the trend, is statistically invalid.
What is it with these climate change deniers – are they stupid? Stooges? Frightened of the truth? They hold onto the fatuous 1998 reference as if that were all the mattered.
re: John A @ 5:53pm – because the candidates are listed on the ballot paper in alphabetical order of surname for a Westminster election.
‘ Its Our Parliament ‘ should appeal to voters.
ItsOurParliament.com
ItsOurParliament.org
ItsOurParliament.co.uk
All the above domains registered and available.
Craig/Stevie/all
http://www.honestmaninparliament.org.uk
or
http://www.putanhonestmanintoparliament.org.uk
or something else? The latter is correct but unwieldy, but then that’s what you have search engines for. “Parliament” is a bugger to spell in either case.
Also if other candidates might stand later, will the gender bias of the name get in the way? Don’t mean to sound pedantic, but regardless of the registered name, how about:
http://www.honestpeopleinparliament.org.uk
Thoughts please, and I will arrange.
The ‘party’ has been registered in such a way to allow for either of the following to appear on ballot papers in the future:
i) Put an Honest Man into Parliament; or
ii) Put an Honest Woman into Parliament.