Direct Democracy's agenda for choice and localism

Throughout last week The Daily Telegraph provided a daily platform for the authors of Direct Democracy: An Agenda for a New Model Party. ‘Direct Democracy’s ideas of localism and devolution are, says The Telegraph, “the most interesting to have come out of the British centre-Right in a long time”.

The authors of Direct Democracy believe that there is something very wrong with the British state. They believe that quangoes, activist judges and Brussels have assumed too much power at the expense of elected representatives.

Throughout the week The Telegraph profiled the Direct Democracy’s policy ideas. The voucherisation of schools and hospitals was one key idea. A local sales tax (replacing VAT) and democratically-elected police chiefs were two other principal suggestions.

I think this is all good stuff and agree with nearly all of it. I’m not sure that much of it is new, however. Most of the ideas were trailed in the last Tory manifesto. Direct Democracy adds to the Conservative Party's excellent record of finding good policies but the primary Tory problem is not a lack of policy. It’s a lack of vision – a lack of narrative – a lack of something to inspire. Theresa May has noted that Tory rhetoric on the public services has been about choice whilst Labour has stressed standards and quality. Localisation and choice may be the route to higher standards but it's the failure to talk about our goals that has sent the electorate into Tony Blair's arms.

Comments

[Kevin Davis]

It is worth noting that in this increasingly globalised world it is becoming the instinct of us all to revert to thinking about community and our personal lives, be that social, family or working. I think this is in part due to the enormity of the issue of globalisation and the fear that has been built around the issue.

I wonder whether the debate that has been taking place on many of these issues would be better to focus on those two ends of the spectrum; the globalisation agenda and the personalisation agenda. As a "consumer" of public services I want a service that is tailored to my needs but is still able to meet the needs of a growing nation.

So there is the rub. Is this a globalisation versus localisation debate or a globalisation versus personalisation debate? Is it about localising power or empowering individuals to help themselves in a frightening globalised world?

To paraphrase...There is such a thing as Society if you understand first that Society is made up of individuals who require the freedom to lead their own lives and the security to go about their business.