POWER2010 in BBC2 documentary Trust Politics

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POWER2010 in BBC2 documentary Trust Politics

23.03.2010 // by Guy Aitchison

POWER2010 featured in the BBC2 documentary Trust Politics last night presented by the historian Anthony Seldon.

In the hour long documentary, Seldon reflects on four past British elections to seek inspiration for his own manifesto to rebuild trust and positively reconnect politicians with a disenchanted public.

You can watch it again on BBC iplayer. POWER2010 features around 38 minutes in.

Campaigners Sam Wilson, Andy May, Annie Quick and Ciaran Norris can all be seen with pink balloons canvassing support for the Power Pledge on the streets of Brighton after which director Pam Giddy runs Seldon through some of the ideas winning support in the POWER2010 public vote.

Seldon is enthusiastic about the campaign's potential to engage large numbers of people in the cause of democratic reform, concluding:

I think that what POWER2010 are doing is really interesting. It's not just the chattering classes that are interested in cleaning up our democracy. Their work clearly shows that large numbers want to enhance the quality of democratic life in Britain. Now we might not all agree with everything on their list - that's not the point. What is the point is that there is substantial and persuasive interest in enhancing the quality of democratic life. If we are to be a democracy in anything other than name, this is a debate that we must have.