Bringing Transparency and Integrity to the UK Political Landscape

1 June 2023

In this issue of our True & Fair Party Newsletter, we delve into the recent political scandals surrounding Boris Johnson, as he and his government's specter continue to degrade trust in politics.

We highlight the weaknesses of the traditional "good chap" model of government and how the True & Fair Party's reform agenda aims to address these challenges. As a country, it is painstakingly clear that our core policies of cleaning up our politics, modernising our democracy, and combating corruption in our corridors of power are vital, irrespective of who is in power. We citizens deserve better.

Unmasking the Scandals

Over the past few years and months, our political landscape has been rocked by political scandal after scandal, be it Partygate, bullying, lying, sexual misconduct, resulting in 18 MPs losing the whip. Revelations that have shed light on the weakness of the Ministerial Code, scrutiny, accountability, and redress, undermining public trust and raising questions about ethical governance. Just today, we have Boris Johnson's WhatsApp messages that appear to incriminate Ministers, including Prime Minister Sunak. The Labour MP Geraint Davies has had the whip suspended as the Party investigates 'serious sexual misconduct.' There is an institutional problem that appears to attract people who believe they can get away with bad behavior, that lack the common principles and values the rest of us hold dear and live by in a collectively responsible manner.

The severity of what happened in lockdowns, how decisions were made, how they stand up to scrutiny, is critical for our country. For the nearly 250,000 people who lost their lives and their families there has to be accountability, transparency and serious, urgent learning. How our top officials conducted themselves was in stark contrast to the sacrifices made by millions of citizens facing restrictions and hardships.

These scandals go beyond mere rule-breaking or poor decision making. They exemplify a deeper issue within our traditional model of governance, commonly referred to as the "good chap" approach, where personal connections and privileges often overshadow accountability and integrity.

Why True & Fair Believes The Good Chap Model is Not Fit For Purpose

The "good chap" model of government, characterised by an old boys' network and a sense of entitlement among politicians, has long been a part of the UK's political landscape. While it may have worked in a different era, today's Britain demands a more transparent and accountable approach to governance.

This model's weaknesses are evident in all recent scandals. The lack of transparency, the disregard for rules, and the culture of favouritism, playing the system with our money, have eroded public trust and damaged the reputation of the political establishment. It is time for a fundamental shift towards a fairer and more accountable system. We do not have to put up or shut up – with the prospect of a hung parliament at the next general election, your voices, your vote can elect True & Fair MPs dedicated to enabling a more robust system and ending the status quo.

True & Fair Party: Reforming the Political Landscape

The True & Fair Party was formed as a beacon of hope in the wake of these political scandals. Our core mission is to bring transparency, integrity, and accountability to the heart of the UK's governance. We believe that politics should be driven by principles rather than personal connections. We know from being out and about that people want that hope, that they support our cause, but we need your help to spread the word and garner the support we will need to win seats in the 2024 general election.

Explaining our vision and reform agenda encompasses these key initiatives:

Transparency and Accountability: comprehensive transparency measures, including the disclosure of political donations, clearer guidelines on ethical conduct, and stricter enforcement mechanisms, in law, to ensure politicians are held accountable for their actions.

Electoral Reform: electoral reforms that promote fairness, such as proportional representation, campaign finance reform, and automatic voter registration. Measures that would enable a broader representation of citizens' voices and reduce the influence of money in politics.

Ethical Governance: emphasising the importance of ethical governance, where conflicts of interest are identified and managed effectively. Stricter laws and rules to ensure public officials act in the best interests of the people they serve.

Increased Citizen Engagement: to foster a more engaged citizenry by encouraging participatory democracy through increased dialogue, transparency, and consultation, locally and nationally, to ensure that citizens' voices are heard and incorporated into policymaking processes.

UPDATE: From True & Fair HQ

We are thrilled to share exciting news and updates from True & Fair HQ. Our party is buzzing with new team members, activity as we gear up for significant milestones and projects that will shape our path towards the general election:

Introducing New Candidates: We are proud to announce that more candidates have been carefully selected to join the True & Fair Party, and we will be announcing them in the next newsletter. These individuals are as passionate as our existing candidates in wanting to create real impact in their respective communities. Stay tuned, as we will be unveiling these exceptional candidates on Tuesday with a special newsletter introducing them. Candidates that have our fresh perspectives and dedication to our core values, and we are excited to have them on board.

New Team Members & Engagement: Matthew Brittle, who heads up TFP Youth, has gathered a group of energetic, eager young people who will be helping us over the summer and beyond and is always happy to hear from any young person willing to help – [email protected].

Last but by no means least, Josh Addison has joined us as Campaign Director. Josh has a formidable success record and reputation for winning independent candidates’ seats in both houses of the Australian Parliament, as well as working on social justice and anti-corruption legislation. Like us, Josh believes in the power of grassroots, and with this in mind, we will be launching our Volunteer Mobilisation Strategy, which aims to bring supporters and constituents together in a unified effort to create meaningful change. We understand that winning elections and making a difference requires collective action, and we want you to be a part of it. Stay tuned for further announcements on how you can get involved and contribute to our movement.

Major Milestones in preparation for the General Election: True & Fair has reached a significant milestone in our preparation for the upcoming General Election. Our policy and initiative framework are taking shape after tireless work from our Leader Gina and the True & Fair policy team supported by experts, academics, and practitioners with meticulous attention to detail and a strong commitment to our core values.

On July 10, we will be launching the first tranche of our policy work with an event in Westminster – we will be sharing full details in due course, but if you would like to join us for the launch, registration will be open Wednesday the 8th of June - keep an eye out on your emails. It is essential for all our supporters and constituents to stay informed and engaged as we unveil our plans.

Gina will also be joining each of our candidates on tour, and we will be emailing all those within a 10-mile radius of each candidate to come and say hello and share your thoughts and views. We care about what you have to say and what you want to change.

In the meantime, if anyone would like to join Gina and us at a canvassing day in Epsom and Ewell on June 8, email [email protected] for full details. If you have family or friends in the constituency – let them know. The more, the merrier!

As Parliament approaches the summer recess and a quieter time, we will be planning, preparing, and putting in place strategies to ramp up our activities from September. We are thrilled about the developments taking place at the True & Fair Party. We are not naive; we know the long road ahead, but each step forward brings us closer to helping our country and communities achieve a fairer, more compassionate, just society.

Our success will be your success, so please continue to support, actively participate, and get others on board. Together, we will bring about the change we believe in and create a society that values integrity, equality, and justice.

Thank you for being a part of our movement.

True & Fair
http://www.trueandfairparty.uk/