View this email in your browser Hi Michael New parliament, same old system. An election has been called. As Britain lurches from crisis to crisis, it can be hard to know where to begin. But wherever you stand, at the centre of our political system there is a lack of accountability. Once in government, politicians are free to act as they wish and we have no way of restraining them until the next election. Our super-centralised political system gives the prime minister - whoever it is - immense power. Join Unlock Democracy Look at some of the most recent threats to our social and economic protections. Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal would leave the government free to sign destructive trade deals. They could endanger workers’ rights, environmental protections, and even our public services. A full 71% of us think the NHS should be off the table in any trade negotiation. But under the current system, the government is unaccountable in trade negotiations because they are negotiated using the executive’s Royal Prerogative power. Even if we don’t trust the prime minister to keep his word, we don’t have the power to do anything about it.



Our electoral system is vulnerable to manipulation by dark money, and the electoral Commission is almost powerless to intervene. The last general election and the 2016 referendum campaign saw serious breaches of the law, but no one has been prosecuted for their wrongdoing. For all that it looks like things are changing, the power imbalance at the centre of the political system remains. Unlock Democracy exists to change that. We believe in a real democracy, where the political system is shaped by and ultimately accountable to us - the people. Stand with us The small handful of people who hold political have no incentive to change the system because they benefit from it. That’s why we still have an unfair voting system that means millions of us don’t have power in the voting booth. That’s why we still have an unelected House of Lords that has reserved places for hereditary peers.



If those who are empowered by the current system won’t change it, then it’s up to us. Organised people-power is the only answer to the crisis we face, and our task has never been more urgent. Politicians won’t change the system without a strong movement pressing them to act. We need your help. Will you become a member of Unlock Democracy, and help us fight for a real democracy? Join Unlock Democracy today By becoming a member today, you can stand with us for the long term to secure a democracy that is stronger than the influence of the richest and most powerful. Thanks, Matthew at Unlock Democracy