Stuart Weir

I write shortly after Alex Runswicks valiant work in lobbying and coordinating the largely successful campaign to reform the governments proposals to stifle the participation of civil society organisations and charities in debate around the next general election. We learned two things: ! "nlock #emocracy is an effective lobbying organisation! especially when we $oin with others% and &! our resources are so thin that we cannot take on more than one ma$or effort at a time. 'o we did nothing much to shame the government into regulating lobbying effectively ( and their inade)uate policies went through. And our founding ob$ective ( to achieve root*and*branch reform of our undemocratic governing system and to win a written constitution ( remains a residual enterprise. +bviously "nlock #emocracy needs to develop our resource base. ,ut I think we must also seek urgently to appeal to and win far broader popular support for broader and systemic reform. We should continue to campaign as best we can for ob$ectives like proportional representation! at national and local level! for proper and full regulation of lobbying! for an elected second chamber! for an executive sub$ect to a written constitution! for a -ouse of .ommons freed from government domination! for a ,ill of Rights! for

effective oversight of the security services. And we must always $oin up the dots. ,ut we need also re*frame the statement of our mission! guiding principles and policy ob$ectives. I was the main author of the original .harter //. I am now working! with colleagues! on a new 0manifesto1 for "nlock #emocracy. issuing a call next year for a 2agna .arta for our times! which will also draw on the )uestionnaire that Alex has circulated to members. I hope that this 0manifesto1 will be good enough to form a base for big popular drive.

About me.
I founded .harter //! one of "#s two original bodies! while I was editor of the 3ew 'tatesman! and went on establish #emocratic Audit at 4ssex "niversity. We measured the )uality of government and human rights in the "5 6using a methodology that then spread across the world7. I am an active member of the executive board and serve as vice*chair for policy. If you would like to contact me! I am on s.p.weir8hotmail.com! and 9::;<<&=;&&.