Images Of Warped Politics

(PRWeb UK) March 8, 2010

The Jury Team political movement this weekend launched its general election campaign with newspaper and magazine advertisements reaching a circulation of over 5 million people.

However the Sunday Mirror banned the advertisement. The staff cited "a variety of political reasons" for not publishing the advertisement.

Sir Paul Judge, founder of the Jury Team, said: "Although we are independent, some people have previously accused the Jury Team of being on the right even though our proposals are very supported by the working people of the UK. So it is interesting that the Sunday Mirror is prepared to ban our advertisement, seemingly so we do not influence their readers who tend to be on the left. In fact there are people across politics who are fed up with our current two party system. They want to join the growing movement for a real alternative based on referendums which let the people express their views. However the Sunday Mirror, alone among all the media outlets we approached, seems to want to keep its readers in the dark".

Editorial and commercial considerations are meant to be separate. The Sunday Mirror has this weekend been commenting on Lord Ashcroft and the effect of his funding on the political process. It however appears that the Mirror is prepared to ban advertisements for political reasons.

On Thursday 4th March a Display Sales Executive in the Advertising Department of the Sunday Mirror, told the Jury Team:

"After careful consideration, I am sorry to tell you that we will not be able to carry the advert due to a variety of political reasons."

The Jury Team representative emailed back on Friday 5th March asking for clarification. Later on Friday 5th March, the following reply was received:

"As my email stated, the booking was subject to editorial approval, which editorial have not given. As a (sic) advertising department we work to this and if you would like to query it further, please take this up with our head of advertising Catherine Allen."

Despite further requests from the Jury Team, the Sunday Mirror has declined to elaborate.

The same advertisement was carried in a wide range of newspapers and magazines including The Sunday Times, The Independent on Sunday, the Sunday Telegraph, The Observer and The Mail on Sunday, in the Scottish Herald and Scotland on Sunday and in the magazines The Economist, The Spectator and The New Statesman.

As part of its commitment to opening up democracy, the Jury Team advertisement invited people to go to the Jury Team website, www.juryteam.org, to register their details to become a candidate in any of the 650 constituencies that will be contested in the forthcoming UK general election.

Sir Paul Judge, founder of the Jury Team, said: "The British people are fed up with their politicians. Each of the main traditional parties has had ample opportunity to set out what it stands for in the next five years. They have failed to do this. We will now turn the tables and give the British people a real opportunity to influence the laws that are passed. Our Proposals are all supported by an overwhelming percentage of the electorate. We will pass the necessary legislation and then ask the people to confirm the laws in an authorising referendum."

The Jury Team Proposals include having a referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU, setting up an English Parliament, reducing the number of MPs by a third, changing Commons elections to proportional representation, limiting government borrowing to 10% of expenditure, protecting bank customer deposits from casino banking, limiting UK troops in Afghanistan to the NATO average, requiring private medical insurance for non-EU visa holders and limiting benefits to 80% of the after tax minimum wage.

The advertisements show a warped picture of the Houses of Parliament, the Commons Chamber or the famous front door of No. 10 Downing Street to represent how the country's political processes have become perverted by the effect of dominant parties. After listing the Jury Team’s Proposals, the advertisements say:

"Go to www.juryteam.org to see details of these Proposals and how much the electorate support them. We will give back to people their pride in this country and its institutions. They will become the ultimate jury.

"If you like the idea of the people having the right to vote on the Proposals, become a candidate for the Jury Team. Sign up on the website.

"We are now inviting principled and independent people to become candidates to be MPs. We will help good candidates to get elected. When elected you will vote for the Jury Team's Proposals but on the basis that these will not become binding until agreed by an authorising referendum. You will otherwise be free to use your best judgment in voting on behalf of the country and your constituents. No party whips."

Sir Paul added: "If you are not happy with the current political parties and their politicians, now is the time to stand up and be counted. Step forward and make a difference or stop complaining."

Editor’s Note:

The full text of the advertisement is:

If the turkeys won't vote for us, we need to change the turkeys.

Become an MP

Do you believe that the British people should have the right to vote on:

    Staying in or leaving the EU
    Setting up an English Parliament for English matters
    Reducing the number of MPs by a third (from 650 to 433)
    Changing Commons elections to proportional representation
    Requiring referendums on petition by 5% of the electorate
    Limiting government borrowing to 10% of expenditure
    Protecting bank customer deposits from casino banking
    Limiting benefits to 80% of the after tax minimum wage
    Sentencing violent criminals to 'army style' punishment
    Limiting UK troops in Afghanistan to the NATO average
    Requiring private medical insurance for non-EU citizens
    Establishing a 10 year residence requirement for UK Citizenship
    Allowing state schools to opt out from local authority control
    Requiring stores to let customers leave excess packaging

Go to www.juryteam.org to see details of these Proposals and how much the electorate support them. We will give back to people their pride in this country and its institutions. They will become the ultimate jury.

If you like the idea of the people having the right to vote on the Proposals,

become a candidate for the Jury Team. Sign up on the website.

We are now inviting principled and independent people to become candidates to be MPs. We will help good candidates to get elected. When elected you will vote for the Jury Team's Proposals but on the basis that these will not become binding until agreed by an authorising referendum. You will otherwise be free to use your best judgment in voting on behalf of the country and your constituents. No party whips.

End of Advertisement Content

For further information contact

Sir Paul Judge (Founder, The Jury Team)

Tel: +44 (0) 7836 603312

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