Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15523 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 200 pages

Customer Reviews

Surpassed Expectations
I had low expectations of this book; I thought it would contain only platitudes about how referendums and the Internet are going to change politics.

In fact, the Plan surprised me by being well thought out, achievable and radically brilliant.

They recommend the transferral of Crown prerogative powers (such as declaring war and appointing ambassadors) from the Prime Minister to Parliament.

They suggest that continued European integration is not in the UK's best interest and recommend withdraw from the EU and rejoining the European Free Trade Agreement, like Norway or Switzerland.

The main gist of their domestic policy recommendations is 'localism', which means putting public services in the hands of local councils, trying to emulate the competition in government that the united States enjoy.

They suggest that state education should have voucher-like systems to make it more market-driven and to allow parents to choose.

For health, they suggest people should be able to opt-out of the NHS and pay into a health saving account so they're in charge of choosing doctors, facilities etc.

Local police priorities should be decided by democratically elected 'Sheriffs'.

VAT should be replaced with a local sales tax at a level set by councils. This would make councils self-financing and exert downward pressure on taxation.

They propose a Swiss style ability to prompt referendums with enough people to sign a petition, so if Parliament considers an unpopular bill and campaigners can get a petition of 2.5% of electors within the time limit, the government must either withdraw the legislation or put it to a referendum.


There are plenty more of great suggestions but those are a couple that stand out in my mind. I recommend you buy this book and be encouraged that UK politics is salvageable!

Carswell and Hannan's The Plan
The most refreshingly detailed action plan for restoring Britain (and a few other countries if they cared to consider) to a sense of purpose and democracy, that i have read in years. It is accurately and well written. One wonders where the individual authors drew the line for their specific contributions as the style is consistent throughout. I can easily agree with 95% of their suggestions and I am sure that if either author had the chance to speak to me I might well add the remaining 5%.

The beauty of the book is that it is so reasonably argued and apparently do-able by a new government determined to re-introduce the idea of political accountability to as low down the line as possible - the Councils and in some cases the individuals themselves. We live in a second-hand and second-rate Britain but this book and its detailed criticisms and suggestions offer a new start. I shall be buying a couple of extra copies to send to friends. Once read there is the need to re-tell its contents to whoever will listen - be warned!

A superb sequel
As a devotee of their previous publication 'Direct Democracy', it was with great anticipation that I awaited phase two which it turns out lives up to the high quality free thinking of it's predecessor.

Since Direct Democracy there has been great changes both technologically and politically. Blogs and grassroots websites have taken on the mainstream media, and given the public thousands of sources of information where previously they were restricted to TV and Newspapers. Politically, the public are growing tired of a big unaccountable Government and it's various agencies poking its nose into every aspect of their lives.

So how is The Plan different from Direct Democracy? Well for a start the title is a confliction for it conjures up images of Stalin and Brown with Tractor Production figures which couldn`t be more different from its content.

Instead it extends previous ideas with adaptations and additions to deal with different conditions. In the book stays moves to make Councils self financing and election sheriffs to make local services properly accountable. The additions include action to make quangos, senior judges and ambassadors accountable, even more proposed devolution to counties and cities in much matters as social security, and a "Great Repeal Bill" to annul unnecessary and burdensome laws.

The topic I think will really be taken on quickly is the way the internet is changing politics. The old structures of the local Party and Branch, Trade Union's ect are dwindling and a new internet based single issue politics is emerging. As the Authors predict, the political party that realises and "gets" the this will be the one that starts to do so called "digital politics" in Britain correctly.

In summary this is a radical, thought provoking book which sets out a truly democratic accountable Britain and is well worth a read.