democracy – Free Thinkers

Is Democracy likely to survive?

Saturday, 11 October, 2025 @ 1:00 PM > 3:00 PM

This month, we will be joined by Gordon Dabinett, who is a promoter of local steering group politics. This group has been growing in success in Sheffield recently, advocating better public transport and infrastructure for local people.

We will discuss the increasing centralisation and technocratic mission creep of our supposed democratic society.

This month’s format will be slightly different, in that we want a larger audience participation. I’m encouraging people to think up questions beforehand and then to put myself and Gordon on the spot in a quickfire round. Hopefully, we will be able to answer these questions. If we can’t, then our ‘facts’ will have been disputed successfully.

As always, this is a free event. We only ask that everyone buys at least one drink from the bar downstairs (non-alcoholic beverages available). We’re also a friendly group that discourages offensive language and respects everyone’s opinions.

Look forward to debating with you all.

Chris

The Hop Merchant, Nottingham

64-68 Upper Parliament Street
Nottingham, NG1 2AG United Kingdom + Google Map

Direct Democracy: Is it time for the UK to change our voting system?

Saturday, 5 July, 2025 @ 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

This month, we are fortunate to have Neil Petrie lead the discussion on the topic of Direct Democracy.

Direct 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.

Important 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.

To get some idea of how successful DD is, the Swiss government has a 65% approval rating. The average is less than 30%.

Neil 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.

Alongside 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.

Direct 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.

The group is becoming successful as a political force and has even fielded several candidates at the local elections in May, with growing enthusiasm.

So 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.

Look forward to debating/discussing this with everyone.

Chris

The Hop Merchant, Nottingham

64-68 Upper Parliament Street
Nottingham, NG1 2AG United Kingdom + Google Map

Direct Democracy/Time for Real People Power in UK Elections

With Neil Petrie

Neil Petrie is a political campaigner who has lived in Switzerland for several years. He is now passionate about electoral change and is determined to invoke a Swiss-style Direct Democracy voting system within UK politics.

Direct Democracy literally gives power back to the people. In Switzerland this is at local level within each canton. The parliament in Bern is much smaller than the UK’s Westminster equivalent. Most of the MPs are part timers, each with a full time job separate from mainstream politics. The parliament only sits for a short period compared to the UK.

Because of this most legislation can be put to referenda in each canton. The people literally decide upon their own policies, completely different form the UK’s somewhat feudal system (we still have a tradition of giving out peerages to nobles).

Join us on Saturday 5th July at 13:00hrs at the Hop Merchant Nottingham to listen to Neil’s presentation.