4th March 2011

MP backs pioneering new website

 

Local MP Gordon Henderson was today one of the first MPs to sign up to new social networking site, which gives every constituency in Great Britain a forum for discussion with their representative in Parliament.

 

Jonathan Elmer, the site’s creator said “I started Digital Democracy because I was fed up with how little say our communities have over the decisions that affect our everyday lives.”

 

“Digital Democracy lets you put your ideas directly to the people who make the decisions and challenges them to respond to the issues that YOU decide are the most important.”

 

“Facebook and Twitter are great for sharing pictures and gossip, but it’s about time we had a social network designed to be part of our political system.”

 

Digital Democracy uses official constituency boundaries to automatically put users in touch with others represented by the same MP, letting them band together to vote on issues and get their voices heard.

 

Mr Henderson, speaking at the official launch in Westminster, said “I’m really excited at the potential this website has to get more people involved in local and national decision-making.  It’s my job to represent the people of Sittingbourne and Sheppey and Digital Democracy gives me a great new channel to communicate with them.”

 

The site gives communities a common space online that lets them develop campaigning groups that can have a great impact on policymaking in Westminster.

 

“We’ve all witnessed the rise of people-power recently” Mr Henderson continued, “Faced with decisions that fundamentally affect the way they live their lives, people realise that they really can make a difference if they organise themselves effectively.”  

 

Every month the most popular user-submitted idea from every parliamentary constituency is sent to that area’s MP to take action on.  MPs then get the chance to explain what they’re doing in response.

 

“Digital Democracy gives people a way to speak up that reflects the way people communicate in the internet age”, Mr Elmer elaborates, “but crucially it encourages dialogue, not conflict between people and their MPs.  We want individuals and communities to share their ideas about how our villages, our towns, our cities and the entire country is run – Digital Democracy is the most powerful way for our networked society to influence decision makers!”

 

To access the Digital Democracy website: CLICK HERE!