Your Party

Survey: YP and the GLA elections in London

The latest Your Party survey is on Your Party and the GLA elections in London. It has been proposed that we field candidates in the Greater London Assembly elections as well as the European elections - which are both held on June 10th. (In these elections voters vote for the Mayor, Constituency Members and London Wide Members.) We would like to know what you think about this proposal.

The other surveys. (Our surveys are hosted by YouGov, an online research and polling company.)

Survey results: The European Union & The Party Constitution

Results from survey 5, on The European Union and the Party Constitution. (You can still take this survey here, and there's a complete list of our surveys here.)

The European Union (EU) is an inefficient institution which allows an unacceptable degree of waste and corruption. It fails to connect with the people, it lacks transparency, and it is in danger of losing democratic legitimacy. On the other hand, these problems can be addressed and solved; it is important that the EU should succeed; potentially, our membership of the EU is a positive rather than a negative. Britain should be tough and energetic in striving to improve the EU, rather than quit.

• Broadly accept this position 90%
• Reject this position 8%
• Don’t know 2%

There was a strong sense that an elected Your Party representative to the European Parliament could act as an uncompromising champion for positive change. By being more closely connected to the British population, and by being free from a political-party ideology, that champion could have a stronger voice and a more clearly defined role to affect the EU agenda.

• Broadly agree with this 84%
• Disagree 9%
• Don’t know 7%

It was suggested that an elected Your Party representative to the European Parliament could act as ‘champion for whistleblowers’, someone positively engaged with the EU but nevertheless strongly challenging waste, corruption, obscurity, and undemocratic processes.

• Broadly support this position 93%
• Reject 4%
• Don’t know 3%

Some suggested that existing parties were hamstrung by internal splits and ideologies to properly represent the interests of the British people in the European Parliament, and this is something which makes the EP ineffective. Do you agree or disagree?

• Agree 61%
• Disagree 21%
• Don't know 18%

And on the Your Party constitution...

All major policy decisions should be taken by the membership

• Broadly agree 95%
• Disagree 3%
• Don't know 2%

There will be some decisions that the membership will not want to vote on because, for example, they are minor, purely technical or administrative in nature. Examples of such decisions might include matters relating to the look of the website or to the numerous minor amendment votes that an MP faces in the House of Commons.

• Broadly agree 85%
• Disagree 8%
• Don't know 7%

However, to ensure that the membership can take any decisions they wish to, there should be simple 'safety net' provisions whereby the membership can ask for a vote on any particular issue (even if it is a minor, purely technical or administrative issue)

• Broadly agree 94%
• Disagree 5%
• Don't know 1%

The party needs an Executive Board which will be responsible for running the Your Party organisation on a day-to-day basis (but not for taking policy decisions)

• Broadly agree 95%
• Disagree 2%
• Don't know 3%

Positions on such a Board should be subject to membership elections at each AGM (with the exception of the initial Interim Board which would oversee operations prior to the first AGM):

• Broadly agree 93%
• Disagree 4%
• Don't know 3%

Survey: Your Party, Marketing & MEP Candidates

The latest Your Party survey is on Your Party, Marketing & MEP Candidates. (Our surveys are hosted by YouGov, an online research and polling company.)

Survey: The European Union & The Party Constitution

Take our new survey and help to create the framework for the party's approach to Europe (Our surveys are hosted by YouGov, an online research and polling company).

Survey results: Hutton

Our Hutton Report survey asked for your reaction. These are the results (you can still still take the survey here):

Overall, do you think the Hutton Report was fair or unfair on the BBC?

• Fair 23.01%
• Unfair 73.86%
• Don't know 3.13%

Taken as a whole, do you accept or reject the findings of the Hutton Report on the behaviour of the BBC?

• Accept 33.67%
• Reject 61.48%
• Don't know 4.85%

Taken as a whole, do you accept or reject the findings of the Hutton Report on the behaviour of the government?

• Accept 16.79%
• Reject 77.95%
• Don't know 5.26%

If the Hutton Report is accepted in its entirety, do you think this will strengthen or weaken the BBC?

• Strengthen the BBC 14.22%
• Weaken the BBC 62.73%
• Neither 17.64%
• Don't know 5.41%

If the Hutton Report is accepted in its entirety, do you think this will strengthen or weaken trust in the British political system?

• Strengthen trust 8.52%
• Weaken trust 72.44%
• Neither 16.48%
• Don't know 2.56%

Survey results: UK, Europe and party membership

Our survey on UK, Europe and party membership asked for your attitudes on the EU. Here are the results so far (You can still take this survey here):

Which of these statements comes closest to your own views?

• The EU is going in the right direction and is good for Britain 8.51%
• The EU has its flaws, but it can be improved and Britain should remain a core member 66.94%
• The EU has serious flaws, and Britain should consider leaving unless it significantly improves in the next few years 17.86%
• The EU is wrong for Britain and we should be no part of it 5.18%
• Not sure 1.5%

Some people want the member countries of the EU to integrate more and more closely, others want it to become a looser but co-operative arrangement. Which of the following options do you prefer?

• Ever increasing integration of all members of the EU 39.39%
• The EU remaining pretty much as now 19.7%
• The EU continuing, but in a looser arrangement 34.85%
• Not sure 6.06%

Some have suggested a 'two tier Europe', with some members making an inner core which integrates faster, with an outer level which remains less integrated. Do you prefer the idea of a single tier of the EU, with all countries integrating at the same level, or a multi-level EU, with countries able to choose between being at the 'core' or at some less integrated level?

• All integrated at the same level 49.33%
• A multi-level EU 38.93%
• Not sure 11.74%

And if there were a multi-level EU, and Britain remains a member, would you prefer Britain to be:

• At the 'core' 66.44%
• On a less integrated level 24.11%
• Not sure 9.44%

When, if ever, do you think Britain should join the Euro?

• As soon as possible 22.54%
• When the economic conditions are right, and probably within the next three years or so 33.22%
• When the economic conditions are right, but probably NOT within the next three years or so 13.69%
• Not for at least 5 years 5.18%
• Never 17.86%
• Not sure 7.51%

We also asked how would you feel about being asked for the following as part of the membership registration process:

Your full name

• OK 92.87%
• Unhappy but would't stop me becoming a member 5.59%
• Would stop me becoming a member 0.77%
• Not sure 0.77%

Your full address

• OK 76.79%
• Unhappy but would't stop me becoming a member 19.15%
• Would stop me becoming a member 2.71%
• Not sure 1.35%

Your telephone number

• OK 46.50%
• Unhappy but would't stop me becoming a member 35.80%
• Would stop me becoming a member 12.65%
• Not sure 5.06%

Your email address

• OK 95.94%
• Unhappy but would't stop me becoming a member 2.32%
• Would stop me becoming a member 0.58%
• Not sure 1.16%

Your credit card details (for identification purposes only)

• OK 6.99%
• Unhappy but wouldn't stop me becoming a member 29.90%
• Would stop me becoming a member 51.46%
• Not sure 11.65%

Your passport number

• OK 29.13%
• Unhappy but wouldn't stop me becoming a member 22.91%
• Would stop me becoming a member 38.45%
• Not sure 9.51%

Your national insurance number

• OK 34.04%
• Unhappy but wouldn't stop me becoming a member 23.79%
• Would stop me becoming a member 32.88%
• Not sure 9.28%

Your driving licence number

• OK 33.66%
• Unhappy but wouldn't stop me becoming a member 22.63%
• Would stop me becoming a member 30.37%
• Not sure 13.35%

A small membership fee of, say, £5 (to be used exclusively for supporting Your Party candidates)

• OK 54.44%
• Unhappy but wouldn't stop me becoming a member 16.41%
• Would stop me becoming a member 19.69%
• Not sure 9.46%

Survey: The Hutton report, BBC, and government

Hutton has reported. What do YOU think? Do you accept its main findings? Will acceptance of the Hutton Report strengthen or weaken the BBC? Will it strengthen or weaken trust in the British political system?

Survey: UK and Europe, more on membership

We have another short survey this week containing further questions on the key issues facing the Party. These surveys are consultative, rather than being formal voting processes, but your input is invaluable as we continue to build the party's structure and we very much hope you'll be able to find the time to complete it.

Survey results on name, voting, elections

Thank you very much to all those who have taken part in the survey of 16th January 2004, which you can still take. The results (to date) are as follows:

1. Should we retain the Your Party name? Yes 50% - No 29% - Don't Know 21%
2. Should formal voting be restricted to members? Yes 80 % - No 12 % - Don't Know 8%
3. Should we enter the European Elections? Yes 73% - No 13% - Don't Know 14%

Survey: the name, voting basics, and elections

We've set up a new survey which looks at some of the issues facing the party. It's not part of the formal decision-making process – we won’t have that in place until the party launches in late February - but it is an important part of the consultative process as we try to get it right.

The original survey is still online. It's about your attitudes to internet democracy and politics.

(Our surveys are hosted by YouGov, an online research and polling company.)