Unlock Democracy Council Meeting

Brockway Room, Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square

Holborn, London C!R "RL
!2
t#
$une 2%!%
M&'U()S
*+ologie,
Mark Valladares, Stuart weir
-re,ent
Alan Debenham (AD), Andrew Blick (AB),Peter Davison (PD), Peter Hirst (PH),
Tamsin ames (T), !inola "ell# (!"), Philli$ %atham (P%), Susan Murra# (SM), Mick
Pitt (MP), Am# &od'er (A&(), Vick# Seddon (VS) ()hair), *an Sloane (*S), ohn
Stra++ord (S)
&n attendance
Peter !ace# (P!), Ale,andra &unswick (A&)
!. Minute, and Matter, *ri,ing
i. Minute,
-t was noted that P% had sent his a$olo'ies to the last meetin' but un+ortunatel#
these had not arrived at the o++ice until a+ter the event so had not been recorded in
the minutes.
The minutes for the Council meeting on the 6
th
March were approved and the
minutes of the last Management Board meeting were noted.
ii. Matter, *ri,ing
!" asked i+ the &eturnin' (++icer would be re$ortin' to )ouncil on the conduct o+ the
recent elections +or )ouncil. P! re$lied that there were no outstandin' issues
re'ardin' the elections and that as no com$laints had been received the &eturnin'
(++icer would not be makin' a re$ort unless s$eci+icall# asked to do so b# )ouncil.
AD asked i+ the (utreach (++icer $ost had been advertised #et. P! re$lied that the
recruitment +or this $ost had been dela#ed because o+ the 'eneral election but that
this would start shortl#
2. Di,cu,,ion on t#e Coalition agreement
i. /eneral di,cu,,ion
P! 'ave )ouncil an overview o+ the coalition a'reement and the $eriod leadin' u$ to
the creation o+ the new 'overnment. He em$hasised the si'ni+icance o+ $olitical
re+orm bein' included in the coalition a'reement and *ick )le'' takin' direct
res$onsibilit# +or this a'enda. P! added that $olic# commitments in a coalition
a'reement are +ar stron'er than mani+esto commitments as the $arties know that
the# will be /ud'ed b# the media and the $ublic on how much o+ the $ro'ramme the#
have been able to achieve. He commented that there were more o$$ortunities to
in+luence this 'overnment 0 the Brown 'overnment came to this a'enda late and
$rimaril# +or tactical reasons so could not deliver.
AB asked whether the cabinet o++ice $a$ers re'ardin' the coalition ne'otiations
would be sub/ect to the !reedom o+ -n+ormation Act and whether 1D would consider
makin' an !(- re2uest +or the $a$ers to be $ublished3
*S s$oke about the weakness o+ the coalition a'reement +rom an e2ualities $oint o+
view and the need +or or'anisations such as 1D kee$ $ressure on these issues.
A&( s$oke about the e,$erience o+ coalition 'overnment in Scotland and the wa#
that the new coalition in 4estminster is viewed in 5dinbur'h.
!" commented that the )oalition6s a$$roach to women shows that its attitudes are
actuall# 2uite old +ashioned des$ite all the new $olitics rhetoric. She added that once
cuts started to be made it would be ver# di++icult to kee$ e2ualities issues on the
a'enda.
S in+ormed )ouncil that he had alwa#s believed there would be a national
'overnment and that it was a 'reat o$$ortunit# +or cam$ai'ners like 1D. 7reat
thin's could be achieved i+ the situation was $la#ed ri'ht.
VS added that the )onservatives seemed to have 'iven a lot 'round on $olitical
re+orm issues and *ick )le'' needs to deliver this a'enda to kee$ his $art# on
board. -t is in both $arties6 interest +or there to be a lon' $arliament and there+ore
the# will both need to com$romise.
ii. (#e coalition agreement and UD0, cam+aigning +rioritie,
A& s$oke to her $a$er on how the coalition a'reement im$acted on 1D6s areas o+
work and how it com$ared to the mani+esto 1D $ublished in the run u$ to the
election.
PD asked about the 'overnment6s $ro$osals on e2ualisin' constituenc# si8es. A&
e,$lained this $olic#, wh# it was bein' linked the $ro$osed re+erendum on AV and
the broader $olitics o+ the issue.
AB commented that the e2ualisation o+ constituenc# si8es is bein' sold as +air votes
and that this needs to be challen'ed.
*S added that the 'overnment underestimates how controversial the boundar#
chan'es will be and how lon' this $rocess will take. Peo$le have ver# stron' +eelin's
about their communities.
S s$oke in +avour o+ e2ualisin' the si8e o+ constituencies and su''ested that the
$rocess could be +ast tracked b# endin' $ublic in2uiries.
!" said that she understand wh# $eo$le want to e2ualise constituencies but
e,$ressed concern about the numbers o+ $eo$le missin' +rom the electoral re'ister
and how this im$acts on the resources that local authorities receive.
SM s$oke about her e,$erience at hustin's in outl#in' communities +eelin' that the#
didn6t 'et attention +rom 'overnment but also wantin' what the# saw as lar'er, +airer
constituencies.
A&( s$oke in +avour o+ the )alman )ommission $ro$osals on +urther devolution in
Scotland.
PH was interested in the direct democrac# $ro$osals but wanted them to lead to an
e,$licit outcome such as a vote in the House o+ )ommons.
*S e,$ressed concern about local re+erendums, in $articular that the s#stem could
be discredited b# lar'e numbers o+ re+erendums on trivial issues. 4hile there were
undoubtedl# issues that should be decided b# re+erendum, $olic# makin' b#
re+erendum was not desirable.
!" s$oke about the 52ualit# Act 9:;: 'ivin' $olitical $arties more $owers to use all
women shortlists or other measures to increase the re$resentation o+ women in
$arliament and 1D should $ut $ressure on $arties to use them.
)ouncil thanked A& +or her detailed $a$er.
P! $ro$osed to )ouncil that 1D should +ocus on the +ollowin' $riorities in the ne,t
$eriod<
AV re+erendum
House o+ %ords re+orm
Part# !undin'
Decentralisation
S su$$orted the $ro$osed $riorities but would like 1D to do some work on 51
democrac# in the lon'er term.
!" e,$ressed concern about the decentralisation a'enda in li'ht o+ the removal o+
rin' +enced +undin' +or e2ualities or'anisations at the local level.
A&( commented that House o+ %ords &e+orm and $art# +undin' are both area where
1D has a uni2ue leadershi$ role to $la# on the sector as it is the onl# or'anisation
that has been consistentl# commentin' on these issues.
P! added that 1D will be an active $art o+ an# coalitions on e2ualities and civil
liberties issues but is not in a $osition to lead them.
A& s$oke about the im$ortance o+ 1D6s involvement in the debates on the Human
&i'hts Act and the Bill o+ &i'hts $ro$osals and in $articular makin' the case +or
$ublic involvement in an# new $rocess.
It was agreed that UDs priorities should be woring on the !" referendum#
$ouse of %ords reform# part& funding and decentralisation.
1. *2 re3erendum ,trategy
P! re$orted to )ouncil on the creation o+ the Take Back Parliament cam$ai'n, 1D=s
role in it and the wa# the or'anisations involved are now workin' to'ether to start
thinkin' about the AV re+erendum cam$ai'n. He added that when $lans had been
made +or a re+erendum on AV> a+ter the enkins )ommission, it had been assumed
that the core o+ the cam$ai'n would be %abour and %iberal Democrat activists. 4e
cannot make this assum$tion about the AV re+erendum cam$ai'n. He added that
talks had be'un with the $olitical $arties about their $lans +or the re+erendum
cam$ai'n. He also reminded )ouncil o+ the result o+ the all member ballot that 1D
conducted which showed that in a re+erendum cam$ai'n where the choice is
between our current s#stem and AV, over ?:@ o+ our members wanted 1D to
cam$ai'n +or AV.
There was a ver# wide ran'in' debate about the re+erendum, $ossibilities +or
amendin' the Bill to include a $ro$ortional s#stem on the ballot $a$er, and the
$otential risks to 1D o+ the re+erendum cam$ai'n. S$eci+ic $oints that were raised
included<
VS asked about the $ossibilities o+ amendin' the Bill to include a $ro$ortional s#stem
andAor a citi8ens convention.
*S commented that most $eo$le don=t understand the electoral s#stem and even
those that are s#m$athetic to chan'e are $ut o++ b# the e,$erience o+ the list s#stem
used +or elections to the 5uro$ean Parliament. She also s$oke about her e,$erience
o+ the re+erendum on directl# elected re'ional 'overnment +or the *orth 5ast and the
di++icult# o+ 'ettin' $olitical $arties to work to'ether and how this is e,acerbated
when there are other elections 'oin' on at the same time.
A&( s$oke about how the $arliamentar# %abour Part# is now dominated b# Scottish
%abour who are 'enerall# not in +avour o+ AV because the# +eel it bene+its the S*P in
Scotland. She added that an# chan'e to the electoral s#stem is a +undamental
chan'e as it would mean that the issue was no lon'er sacred. However, as
cam$ai'ners we have to reco'nise that most $eo$le don=t know an#thin' about the
electoral s#stem and we need to have messa'es that will work +or them.
P! closed the debate b# sa#in' that 1D would continue to cam$ai'n +or a
$ro$ortional s#stem and +or citi8ens to be involved in choosin' the electoral s#stem.
However it is im$ortant to reco'nise that these cam$ai'ns are unlikel# to be
success+ul at this time and we ma# need to revisit these ar'uments a+ter the
re+erendum cam$ai'n. He added that while he understood $eo$le6s concerns about
holdin' the re+erendum on the same da# as other elections, the most im$ortant thin'
is that the re+erendum is held in 9:;; and that the date is a'reed soon.
The strateg& on !" was approved.
". Sectoral *naly,i,
P! ma$$ed out the di++erent coalitions the currentl# e,ist in the democrac# sector +or
)ouncil. He also in+ormed )ouncil that he had received a $ro$osal +or Power9:;: to
mer'e with 1D. -+ this were to 'o ahead there would be a brie+ transition and that
the aim would be +or as man# $eo$le as $ossible to /oin 1D +rom Power9:;:
su$$orters and to cam$ai'n on behal+ o+ 1D.
*S a$$roved o+ this a$$roach but as someone who had been involved with
Power9:;: recommended that the brands should remain se$arate.
This approach was approved.

5. Director0, re+ort
P! s$oke to the accounts and drew )ouncil=s attention to the sur$lus +or the last
+inancial #ear. He added that the bud'et $reviousl# a'reed b# )ouncil +or this
+inancial #ear de$ended active 'rant +undraisin' but this area was $articularl#
com$etitive at the moment and 'rant 'ivin' bodies had less mone# to 'ive because
o+ the +inancial crisis.
P! re$orted that 1D had moved +rom the basement o+ )#nthia street to the to$ +loor
and that the re+urbishment o+ the $ro$ert# on 7ra#s -nn &oad is nearl# com$lete. He
added that sta++ were e,hausted a+ter runnin' a number o+ cam$ai'ns durin' the
election and movin' o++ices at the same time.
)ouncil thanked sta++ +or all their hard work and in $articular +or the hi'h 2ualit# o+ the
$ro/ects $roduced durin' the 'eneral election.
P! in+ormed )ouncil o+ the issues around cam$ai'nin' or'anisations and the
national minimum wa'e le'islation and added that A& would liaise with the *ational
)ouncil +or Voluntar# (r'anisations and law#ers i+ necessar# to ensure that the
or'anisation o$erated not /ust le'all# but within best $ractice.
4. Honorary 533icer,
P! reminded )ouncil that at the last meetin' the# had a'reed that 1D should
a$$oint honorar# o++icers. He asked )ouncil members to brainstorm ideas +or
$otential honorar# o++icers and send an# ideas to the o++ice.
(#e ne6t meeting will be #eld on Saturday "
t#
Se+tember.