I’m on @RemainiacsCast here with @rosamundmtaylor @IanDunt @Dorianlynskey (just after @Andrew_Adonis) arguing that remainers need to be clear on what *they* understand democracy to be and their obligation to give people the governance that they want. https://t.co/Cdmgb5YwPx
— Paul Evans (@Paul0Evans1) January 12, 2018
Category Archives: Representative Democracy
Another referendum will never work, they’re an unfit tool for democracy.
My latest, in The Independent today.
TL;DR version:
1) leaving the EU could work
2) deciding to do so with a referendum guarantees it won’t & will also be damaging
3) using a 2nd referendum to exit #Brexit would make a v bad situation even worse
4) Exit-Brexit is a job for parliament alonehttps://t.co/c4mgZacdsf— Paul Evans (@Paul0Evans1) December 18, 2017

Final script sent to print
Yesterday, in what was a big milestone for me, I handed in the final copy of the text of my book, which is provisionally titled ‘Save Democracy – Abolish Voting’.
It will be published at some point over the next month or so (date tbc) by The Democratic Society. It’s their first publication in a series entitled “Ideas of Democracy”, and I hope, the first of many.
In advance of the launch (you will be able to buy it in print or as an e-book), I’ll be posting a few samples here, but in the meantime, here’s the draft blurb from the back cover to give you a flavour of what to expect:
Putin didn’t steal much. We just left the doors open and went on holiday.
I’ve just published this:
“There is a direct link between [the failure of representative democracy] and the degree to which plebiscitary democracy is seen as being an acceptable option. The popularity of referendums is a symptom more than it is the cause of our current problems.”
It’s here:
“Putin didn’t steal anything. We just left the doors open and went on holiday”?—?https://t.co/OFJJo9t2Ec pic.twitter.com/4tgxZru0LZ
— (((Paul Evans))) (@Paul0Evans1) December 14, 2016
On mandated MPs
In this post, from 2007, I forecast that New Labour were in danger of begetting the current catastrophe. The article also predicted that the Lib-Dems would probably not go into coalition with Labour (and why), and readers may want to note the identity of the nightmare ‘back seat driver‘ that a mandated parliamentary party would be forced to take direction from….
I wrote this nearly a decade ago. Do I win prizes for prescience? https://t.co/908ExsIj9N
— (((Paul Evans))) (@Paul0Evans1) July 10, 2016
A pitch to the centre-left
If I could make a pitch to the whole of the centre-left on what I believe its future direction should be, this would be it.
We must rebuild democracy for the 21st century. Here's how we do it. https://t.co/hGIoUJ31KF pic.twitter.com/BtBIDfTFYu
— little atoms (@littleatoms) July 7, 2016
Attempting to ‘restore faith in politics’ often damages democracy
I published this on Medium earlier today.
“This is bad. Very bad” Trying to restore faith in politics damages democracy. https://t.co/4D3nTY3D2j pic.twitter.com/FxpPaK43UH
— (((Paul Evans))) (@Paul0Evans1) July 6, 2016
Running an unleaded car on diesel
Very grim times for The Labour Party. Is this the endgame?
Labour doesn’t know how to defend itself. God knows why not. https://t.co/FNLQgN4kYZ pic.twitter.com/z3I39I3BVp
— (((Paul Evans))) (@Paul0Evans1) July 2, 2016
Two big red buttons
I’m re-posting a portion of an older, longer post here because it is important that we all understand how any attempt to remove Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party will play out.
It isn’t very comfortable reading, I’m afraid. Sorry.
I’m anti-Brexit but I’m more frightened of living in a country that uses referendums
Here’s my latest, over on Medium.
I’d accept Brexit in return for a promise of no more referendums in Europe. https://t.co/pRZveBU60g pic.twitter.com/MWbk5EYTBb
— (((Paul Evans))) (@Paul0Evans1) June 18, 2016