Post-Peterloo 200th Anniversary, the campaign Politics for the Many aims to make politics accessible to as many people as possible. With trade union backing, it's holding a conference on Saturday 31st August with a host of speakers from trade union leaders, to academics and representatives of the media and pressure groups.
"From the Chartists pushing for universal suffrage, to the Scottish TUC's role campaigning for a Scottish Parliament, trade unions have often been at the forefront of demands for a better democracy that puts working people at the centre" states the Politics for the Many...
"One hundred years ago the Representation of the People Act was passed – extending the right to vote to many women and abolishing the requirement that men must hold property to vote" it adds "Today, there is a new democratic frontier for trade unions in Britain: reforming Westminster's creaking establishment. From a broken voting system, to an unelected House of Lords and denying 16 and 17 year olds the vote, Parliament is skewed towards a privileged few.
"Trade unions exist for workers to stand up against concentrations of power and wealth" it continues "Today, our politics concentrates power to a handful of voters in wealthier swing seats, while throwing 22million votes in the electoral scrapheap. That's a recipe for alienation and distrust.
"Democracy is never a finished thing" it concludes "We have to constantly struggle to remake democracy anew for each generation. Today we are proud to launch Politics for the Many – the trade union campaign for political reform. If you are involved in a trade union, join us."
The timetable for the Conference is as follows...
10.15-11.15am Launch Plenary: 'Then And Now: Overhauling Our Broken Democracy'. Looking back on the legacy of Peterloo – and the labour movement's role in our democratic history. What lessons can we take, to inform a vision for the kind of democracy we need?
•Paul Mason – Journalist and author
•Lynn Henderson – Politics for the Many Chair and PCS National Officer for Scotland and Ireland
•Katy Ashton – Director, Manchester People's History Museum
11.15am-2.30pm Morning Workshops: The People Demand – Voices from those 'locked out' of democracy.
1. Women in politics: how to break through the barriers?
•The Parliament Project
2. The power of community: Energising local democracy
•Jess Blair – ERS Cymru
•Ed Cox – Director of Public Services & Communities RSA
•Sue Bowen – Former Coordinator, East Manchester Community Forum
•Pauline Grandison – Act As If You Own the Place
3. Locked out: 200 years after Peterloo, why the poorest are still the least represented
•Ian Allinson – President, Manchester TUC
•Charlotte Hughes – Writer, Thepoorsideof.life
•Dawn Foster – Columnist
4. Missing voices: Young people, minorities and the political system
•Poppy Turner – Manchester Momentum
•Rick Burgess – Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People
•Dr Katy Sian – Lecturer in Sociology
•Emma Greenwood – UK Youth Climate Coalition
1.15pm-2.15pm Middle Plenary: 'Transforming The World: A Democratic Revolution to Win Social Change'
.•Dr Jess Garland – Electoral Reform Society
•Jon Trickett MP – Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office
•Cllr Amna Abdullatif – Manchester Ardwick
2.15pm-3.30pm Afternoon Workshops: The Change We Need
1. Westminster isn't working: what does a democracy for the many look like?
•Christine Berry – Author, Preparing for a Corbyn Government
•Pauline Bryan – Labour Peer
•Julie Ward MEP
2. Delivering economic transformation: why does democratic reform matter?
•Sam Tarry – President of Class & National Political Officer TSSA
•Hilary Wainwright – Editor, Red Pepper
3. A corrupt constitution: how do we rebuild trust in our political system?
•Adam Ramsay – Editor, Open Democracy
4. Where do we go from here? How do we build a movement for real democracy?
•Lynn Henderson – Politics for the Many Chair and PCS National Officer for Scotland and Ireland
3.30pm-4.30pm Closing Plenary: 'Politics For The Many: A New Movement for Democracy'
•Willie Sullivan – ERS Scotland
•Holly Rigby – Momentum
This Is What Democracy Looks Like
Saturday 31st August 10am-5pm
Manchester Conference Centre and Pendulum Hotel
Sackville Street, Manchester, M1 3BB
Tickets are £4.85 (cons) and £11.25 – to book click here
For more details see the Politics for the Many website – click here
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