The Jury Team: Here's how we can change our politics and restore democracy

The Jury Team was founded for those people who believe in democracy but who have observed how the current party political system has turned Parliament and Government into the creatures of a small and increasingly distant group of oligarchical politicians.

The arrogance that has developed in these party cultures has led to personal behaviours and attitudes on issues such as expenses and conflicts of interest which would be unacceptable in any other walk of life. Politicians are seen as more interested in winning elections than in improving the lot of the people or the state of the nation. Many manipulate rather than respect their electorate. MPs are now largely in Parliament as their primary career rather than to provide objective oversight of the Government.

The party whipping system has generally reduced the House of Commons to a talking shop which overwhelmingly accepts the Government's proposals with little scrutiny. The UK Government is run by ministers appointed for party political reasons who have little background in their subject or in management and are anyway moved elsewhere before they can implement their proposals. Similar issues exist in the European Parliament and in other EU institutions.

It is the Jury Team's aim that by using modern technology we can restore proper democracy and integrity to our democratic institutions by allowing people, selected openly by their fellow citizens, to become Independent MPs and MEPs.

We are, through the Jury Team website, organising a nationally coordinated process to select our Jury Team candidates in the equivalent of a primary election. Once selected we will then support the election of the chosen candidates to become Independent MPs and MEPs.

Jury Team candidates will be selected as potential MEPs for the 2009 European Parliament elections on the 4th June 2009, as potential MPs for whenever the next general election is held in 2009/10 and for the 2011 Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Local Government elections.

The intention of the Jury Team is not only to listen to the British people but also to involve them much more directly in the political system. This will lead to their Parliament having the capacity and structures to represent their interests and their Government operating in a way in which the needs of the people are given greater priority than the needs of any political party.

www.juryteam.org