Fog in the Channel, Europe cut off.

There is just so much wrong with politics today in the UK. Much of it can be said is self inflicted, but the vast majority of our problems are by design, the power grab by the executive, the waning authority of our parliamentarians, the sheer greed and corruption that is viewed on a daily basis by the same members of a parliament that is in decline coupled by the apathy of the voting public, fuelled it must be said by a sense of helplessness at our political system, a growing culture of state dependency and abrogation of responsibility to the state.

There is a growing sense of disenfranchisement, a democratic deficit. That deficit is widespread but it is most apparent in our dealings  with the European Union. That overall deficit can be seen in everyday life, living under newly created laws, newly created criminal offences, newly empowered yet undemocratic bodies who now infest the minutiae of our lives with oft punitive viciousness, and yes, all roads lead back to that relationship with the EU.

All too often in the past we have seen those manifesto promises to grant us a democratic vote, each and every time they have been broken, by all parties. Labour defended themselves in court by saying that “manifesto pledges are not subject to legitimate expectation” and therefore cannot be relied upon. Nick Clegg’s LibDem’s whilst still heralding a manifesto undertaking to support a referendum voted against it in parliament when it came to the crunch, and David Cameron’s Conservatives have now withdrawn their ‘Cast Iron’ guarantee.

MP’s must understand that the time for them to simply represent themselves and their parties in such a two faced manner must come to an end, the public will demand it. It is now time for them to begin to do what they should have been doing all along, to represent their constituents, to listen to their democratic concerns and to represent that in Parliament. In an honest Parliament.

In poll after poll the voters of this country have indicated their desire for a referendum on the relationship of the UK with the European Union. Listen to them, for they are now asking through the Albion Alliance for MP’s and parliamentary Candidates to sign up to a personal pledge to put voters before themselves, to put voters and country before party, whip and the EU, and to work on obtaining that all important referendum.

This is not a party political thing, this is a people thing.  It does not even matter whether you are pro or anti EU.  This is simply about democracy. This is the voters of this country across all party lines imploring all Parliamentary Candidates and MP’s to restore the democratic balance, to stand up and be counted.

Like it or not, Britain’s relationship with the EU is going to be the single biggest issue at the next election. Prospective Parliamentary Candidates really do need to consider signing up to the Albion Alliance pledge, because the people will be looking at you, the people will be judging you on your actions not your words.

Kevin Barron, Labour MP for Rother Valley, in his ignorance and arrogance of what being an MP means, proclaimed:

We are the state’s representative in our constituencies and we should not be frightened of taking decisions on behalf of our constituents, because that is to the general good.

MP’s are not the State’s representatives, you are not there as our master to do the State’s bidding. It is this ignorance by so many current MP’s that has taken us to where we are now.

MP’s are the peoples representatives in Parliament. Any MP who does not understand that should not be there. Candidates had better be aware that the people will take no more of this democratic imbalance, they must begin to listen to the wishes of their constituents.

Come election time it could just boil down to this: No pledge, no vote, no matter what party colours you wear.