It’s been a peculiar year. From the start, 2024 was billed as the “year of elections”. That much is true. Voters from Rwanda and Iran to Russia, India and the US were to go to the polls.
Looking back, we can say many examples of voting were not necessarily the same as a well-functioning democracy, including – unfortunately – here in the UK. Some quasi-democratic states used the mechanism of allowing people to vote to claim legitimacy for those already in power. In Iran, the majority of voters chose not to bother voting at all.
There were, however, decisive results in important contests, too. The US showed a clear and undisputed victory for Donald Trump. In the UK, the Labour party won a landslide. But perhaps the greatest success for the idea of democracy was in India, where almost a billion people went to the polls in the biggest election in world history. Again, whatever you think of the results, and of the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this triumph for political debate was evidence that the opinions of ordinary people can count.
In London a few days ago, I took part in the launch of a new report launched at Westminster to try to revive the British system of electing our governments. The report is called Free but not Fair: British Elections and How to Restore Trust in Politics and it was produced for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fair Elections.
Having elections is important. Having truly fair elections is much more important still
All-party parliamentary groups are simply voluntary groups of British MPs who co-operate across party lines to try to solve problems and make things work better. They are one of the very good things about the British system. This Fair Elections group has more than 100 members, and these MPs from different parties and backgrounds broadly agree that the Westminster system has significant problems that need to be addressed through co-operation with political opponents.
The group report argues that three inter-related problems make British politics a turn off for many voters. The first problem – and most obvious – is that the Westminster “First Past the Post” system of voting is out of date. The MPs involved want an Electoral Commission set up to recommend a better and fairer system.
This is a long hard battle, but change will probably win eventually and the statistics in the report are extraordinary.
Many British people are so turned off that they do not even register to vote. Many of those who do register to vote cannot be bothered to turn up to do so. That means, according to the highly regarded Institute for Public Policy Research, the turnout of everyone eligible to vote in this year’s UK general election was just 53 per cent. Of those, a third voted for the Labour party, which won two thirds of the seats. That means the UK now has a Labour government with a huge majority based on the endorsement of only about 18 per cent of adults who could have voted.
Every democratic system has its problems, but this is extraordinary. Privately (and sometimes publicly), many Labour MPs understand something needs to change. The report proposes a National Commission on Electoral Reform.
It could also look at the very peculiar fact that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have very different systems for their parliaments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast. England has lost out, in the name of “tradition”.
The other two parts of the report call for action on “dark money and hidden influence” and “disinformation”. The recommendations include closing loopholes on political donations. MPs mentioned to me that they fear the UK might go the way of the US where a few billionaires make enormous donations that can sway millions of voters, leaving other voters feeling powerless.
The third area, covering disinformation, is probably the most difficult. How can anyone legislate to prevent lying in public life? The report calls this the “legal but harmful” problem because “we all have the right to free speech but no one has the right of unlimited amplification of content that is likely to spread harmful disinformation”. Unfortunately, as was seen over the summer, Islamophobic content fuelled demonstrations in some areas that resulted in street violence and riots.
And so, the British electorate should enter the new year with a sense of qualified optimism. The optimism is grounded in the idea that important questions are now being addressed by politicians of different parties who want a better system.
The obvious qualification is that some of these areas – in particular electoral reform – have been discussed for years and may be seen as a distraction from the core economic and social issues that Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to address. Yet I have always been encouraged by words from the American civil rights activist John Lewis. Congressman Lewis demanded change with the words: “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?”
Indeed. It’s time for a change. Having elections is important. Having truly fair elections is much more important still.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The Internet
Hive Mind
four stars
Need to know
Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.
Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.
Results
2-15pm: Commercial Bank Of Dubai – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Al Habash, Patrick Cosgrave (jockey), Bhupat Seemar (trainer)
2.45pm: Al Shafar Investment – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Day Approach, Ray Dawson, Ahmad bin Harmash
3.15pm: Dubai Real estate Centre – Handicap (TB) Dh80,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Celtic Prince, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
3.45pm: Jebel Ali Sprint by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Khuzaam, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
4.15pm: Shadwell – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Tenbury Wells, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.45pm: Jebel Ali Stakes by ARM Holding – Listed (TB) Dh500,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
5.15pm: Jebel Ali Racecourse – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Rougher, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson
Medicus AI
Started: 2016
Founder(s): Dr Baher Al Hakim, Dr Nadine Nehme and Makram Saleh
Based: Vienna, Austria; started in Dubai
Sector: Health Tech
Staff: 119
Funding: €7.7 million (Dh31m)
Profile Periscope Media
Founder: Smeetha Ghosh, one co-founder (anonymous)
Launch year: 2020
Employees: four – plans to add another 10 by July 2021
Financing stage: $250,000 bootstrap funding, approaching VC firms this year
Investors: Co-founders
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Key features of new policy
Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6
Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge
A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools
Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe
SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos
Casket match The Undertaker v Chris Jericho
John Cena v Triple H
Matches to be announced
WWE World Heavyweight Championship, Raw Tag Team Championship, United States Championship and the Cruiserweight Championship are all due to be defended
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Normal People
Sally Rooney, Faber & Faber
Company%20Profile
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more from Janine di Giovanni
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
The%20Beekeeper
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Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed
