OBSERVER (UK Newspaper) – Parliament in crisis: When will MPs start to listen to the people? | Politics | The Observer

I am forwarding this article from the Guardian that idicates the growing demand that all political parties get committed to real reform of our political system.  It is to be found in the Guardian Sunday 24th May 2009;

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Parliament in crisis: When will MPs start to listen to the people?

The expense crisis reveals a nation governed by a political elite that has stopped listening and who are accountable to no one but their party machines. Too many MPs seem more interested in changing their homes than changing the world. Our society faces real problems – mass unemployment and growing poverty, the threat of climate chaos and an erosion of our civil liberties to name but three. These all require effective government working on behalf of the popular will. Yet our whole political system is close to collapse. We demand a new electoral system that makes everyone’s vote count.

On the day of the next general election, there should be a binding referendum on whether to change to a more proportional electoral system. This should be drawn up by a large jury of randomly selected citizens, given the time and information to deliberate on what voting system and other changes would make Parliament more accountable to citizens.

We demand the right to be able to vote for a change:

Helena Kennedy
QC
Philip Pullman
author
Damon Albarn
musician
John Sauven
Greenpeace
Martin Bell
anti-sleaze campaigner
Richard Wilson
actor
Polly Toynbee
journalist
Susie Orbach
author and psychologist
Jonathan Pryce
actor
Caroline Lucas
leaderGreen party
Brian Eno
musician
Neal Lawson
Compass
Ken Ritchie
ERS
Colin Hines
Green New Deal
Matthew Taylor (in personal capacity)
RSA
Hari Kunzru
author
Mark Thomas
comedian
Oona King
ex Labour MP
Michael Brown
journalist and ex-Tory MP
Pam Giddy
Power Inquiry
Salma Yaqoob
Leader Respect
Wes Streeting
President NUS
Gordon Roddick
Lisa Appignanesi
Chair of PEN
Prof James Forrester
Carmen Callil
author and publisher
Sunder Katwala
Fabians
Billy Bragg
musician
Sam Tarry
Chair Young Labour
Peter Facey
Unlock Democracy
Prof David Marquand
Dave Rowntree
musician
Richard Reeves
Demos
Ann Pettifor
Advocacy UK
Prof Richard Sennett
Sunny Hundal
Liberal Conspiracy
Anthony Barnett, openDemocracy
Richard Grayson, Social Liberal Forum
John Harris, journalist
Pete Myers, enoughsenough.org
Steve Richards, journalist
Tony Robinson, actor
Richard Murphy, Tax Justice
Jeremy Leggett, Solarcentury
AC Grayling, philosopher
Katie Hickman, author
Benedict Southworth, World Development Movement
Lance Price, journalist
Ann Black, Labour activist
Peter Tatchell, Human Rights campaigner
Hilary Wainwright, Red Pepper
David Aaronovitch, journalist
Kevin Maguire, journalist