[pp.int.general] Pirate Party UK Critism

[Eric Priezkalns]

On 3 Oct 2009, at 21:14, Pasi Palmulehto wrote:

>> Erm... I mean we in the UK need money in order to offer a candidate  
>> in
>> every seat in every election.  Not every country has the same
>> democratic procedures.  In the UK, if we get enough votes, the party
>> gets its money back.  If we don't get enough votes, we don't get the
>> money back.  Currently the threshold for the general election is 5%,
>> so every seat where we get less than 5% of votes, we lose our deposit
>> of GBP500.  That means that if we matched the German result of 2%
>> overall, 3% in some places, it would cost us around 350,000 Euros if
>> we had a candidate standing for every seat, and we would need that
>> money to begin with, just to be allowed to compete in every seat.
>> That is why I don't feel bad that raising money is central to the
>> strategy for PPUK.
>
> btw. how much is your member fee and do you clearly state why you have
> it? it might help ppl to understand the reason for it.

The basic member fee is GBP10 and we do explain the need on our  
website, but most British people are already aware that British  
politics is expensive.  The two major parties are heavily influenced  
by the groups that fund them - rich business people or trade unions -  
and this is prominently reflected in media coverage in the UK.   
However, the perception that the internet delivers a magic new model  
for raising funds through viral marketing, coupled with the success of  
some of the European parties, may encourage some PPUK supporters to  
have an over-optimistic view of what it will take for a breakthrough  
in our country.  That then leads to resentment that fundraising is  
given so much prominence and this is, wrongly, equated with greed or  
being 'old fashioned'.

E


>
> -Scoffa
>
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