Democracy Users in the Pub

[danieldwilliam]

I was as the first regular monthly meeting this year of the Edinburgh reform group last night.

It was good to see folk again. I’ve not been able to make the last few meetings.

I think we’ve come up with a plan for how to organise the group so that it’s forward facing and enjoyable and social and provides a support structure for people who want to be more or less active in the Reform movement.

As usual lots of interesting chat.  I got to try out what I think if going to be my favourite question of the referendum.

What are the issues that you will most important when making your decision about how to vote? What aspect of society would independence or the retention of the Union have to have a really positive affect on to sway your vote?

A couple of the answers really got me thinking.

First up – not a lot, independence won’t make much of a difference.

What if that’s true and we spend a lot of effort thinking about how different systems of government and conclude that fundamentally this question doesn’t make much difference.  That’s a bit of a worry for politicians on both sides of the question.

Secondly – what to do with the Scottish diaspora?  Which system of government would be most welcoming of the many people who consider themselves to have some Scottish connection.

Not before the referendum as a discussion on the franchise but afterwards. How do we encourage people to return? Do we want them to return? Do they have a right to return?

Feeling quite buoyed up by it all.

Comments

[fearmeforiampink]

Is the reform group associated with any of the national reform organisations? What's been working well and not so well for you? It's more one of my colleague's areas than mine, but we've been wanting to do more with our Unlock Democracy local groups.

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

We’re associated loosely with both ERS and UD in that we maintain contacts and friendly relations with both organisations and would look to them for leadership on campaigns.

I guess we’d feel pretty irritated too if there turned out to be other formally constituted ERS or UD groups in our area and we didn’t know.

What’s been working well has been keeping a nucleus of the old Yes to Fairer Votes campaign team meeting up regularly.

What’s not worked so well (until now) is finding a way to shift the focus from being a YTFV old boys club to being a group that is currently active and vital.

Happy to chat more to you or to your colleague – any time.

I’ll punt over my contact details by PM.