BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Free Thinkers - ECPv6.16.3//NONSGML v1.0//EN
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
METHOD:PUBLISH
X-WR-CALNAME:Free Thinkers
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.freethinkers.org.uk
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Free Thinkers
REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H
X-Robots-Tag:noindex
X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H
BEGIN:VTIMEZONE
TZID:Europe/London
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:BST
DTSTART:20240331T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:GMT
DTSTART:20241027T010000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:BST
DTSTART:20250330T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:GMT
DTSTART:20251026T010000
END:STANDARD
BEGIN:DAYLIGHT
TZOFFSETFROM:+0000
TZOFFSETTO:+0100
TZNAME:BST
DTSTART:20260329T010000
END:DAYLIGHT
BEGIN:STANDARD
TZOFFSETFROM:+0100
TZOFFSETTO:+0000
TZNAME:GMT
DTSTART:20261025T010000
END:STANDARD
END:VTIMEZONE
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250705T130000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250705T150000
DTSTAMP:20260602T120454
CREATED:20250709T135145Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260215T161632Z
UID:460-1751720400-1751727600@www.freethinkers.org.uk
SUMMARY:Direct Democracy: Is it time for the UK to change our voting system?
DESCRIPTION:This month\, we are fortunate to have Neil Petrie lead the discussion on the topic of Direct Democracy. \n\n\n\nDirect Democracy has been used in Switzerland since the federation was established in 1848. It literally allows citizens to influence policies that directly involve their communities. \n\n\n\nImportant government legislation can be outsourced to the wider electorate\, using a series of referendums. This ultimately means that voters can decide on which acts are approved and then passed by Parliament. \n\n\n\nTo get some idea of how successful DD is\, the Swiss government has a 65% approval rating. The average is less than 30%. \n\n\n\nNeil Petrie represents a group called Direct Democracy\, details at www.ddrightnow.com. Direct Democracy is advocating electoral change in the UK based on the principles of the aforementioned Swiss system. \n\n\n\nAlongside this\, Direct Democracy also supports a digital Blockchain system. Each individual voter is issued with a unique identification number (akin to Bitcoin for politics)\, and then every vote that is added to the block can not be neither manipulated nor deleted. There are many people now saying that the traditional paper ballots are easily rigged. Blockchain voting is said to be successful in preventing fraud at this level. \n\n\n\nDirect Democracy has several members who have lived in Switzerland for several years themselves\, and therefore\, they have become advocates of political change in the UK\, hoping to promote a similar system. \n\n\n\nThe group is becoming successful as a political force and has even fielded several candidates at the local elections in May\, with growing enthusiasm. \n\n\n\nSo join us for a fact filled and free event (it will only cost the price of a drink at the bar downstairs). We are a friendly bunch and value everyone’s opinion. All’s we ask is that you also respect everyone else’s and refrain from any abusive language. \n\n\n\nLook forward to debating/discussing this with everyone. \n\n\n\n\nSIGN UP AT MEETUP
URL:https://www.freethinkers.org.uk/event/is-it-time-for-the-uk-to-change-our-voting-system/
LOCATION:The Hop Merchant\, Nottingham\, 64-68 Upper Parliament Street\, Nottingham\, NG1 2AG\, United Kingdom
CATEGORIES:Talk
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://static.freethinkers.org.uk/uploads/2025/07/ballot-box.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR