Time for people to use their voice

However much we might find fault with democracy, Stalin's USSR, Hitler's Germany, Franco's Spain and Salazar's Portugal prove that totalitarianism ends in disaster for both right and left. But for democracy to function properly it needs the true voice of the people to be heard, and not the present form of lip service to it of one vote per person every five years. But that voice needs to be both active and informed or Churchill's quote ' The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter' will remain true and we will continue to be ruled by those who think they know best, pay little attention to our wishes and are apt to refer to us disdainfully as the general public. Up to now we have been powerless to change this system but today we have the possibility of being rescued by technology. The Internet together with all the new systems of communication have now empowered us with a voice that leaders ignore at their peril. But it is not only important we use them but be informed when we do so.

Unfortunately we are now faced with a new form of totalitarianism in the form of the EU. True we have representation by MEPs but few have much contact with their constituents who in turn usually have no idea who they are. While our own national members of parliament have increasingly less say in making legislation as most new laws are made by directives from Brussels. Here we come to the nub of the problem for these EU commissioners and officials who decide on legislation that effects every nation within the EU are not even elected and therefore not held to account by anyone.

But now this quaisi dictatorship is facing the nemesis of its own politically created currency. The idea that euro interest rates would be viable for economies as diverse as Germany and Greece was a disaster in the making. Now the problem has spread to Ireland and Portugal with Spain and Italy close behind. No matter how the EU diehards might huff and puff, if the euro is to survive it will be in a new two tier Europe divided between the stronger industrial northern countries and their weaker partners in the south.

The political elite ensured that few countries were given a vote on the creation of this new political union of Europe, despite pre-election pledges by all British parties to do so. With a gross cost to Britain of £65 billion every year at a time of cuts and hardship it is important we use the Internet and every other IT communication available to make our opinions known.