Democracy

A 300-strong coalition of civil society groups is taking the European Commission to the European Court of Justice, claiming that its refusal to register a official 'Citizens Initiative' opposing the EU-US TTIP trade deal was unlawful.

UK broadcasters' plan to exclude the Green Party from the 2015 pre-election debates is an affront to democracy, writes Peter Bloom. Its voice must be heard - not only do the Greens enjoy a firm, nationwide base of political support, but they offer the only alternative to the neoliberalism, austerity and immigrant-bashing on offer from the 'mainstream' parties.

Donnachadh McCarthy, The Ecologist's correspondent at Occupy Democracy was arrested yesterday when police cleared Parliament Square of protesters. The brutal repression of peaceful protest puts Britain in the same moral camp as China, Russia and others whose human rights record we publicly despise, writes Julian Sayarer.

Last night the police were in full force in London's Parliament Square, writes Donnachadh McCarthy - forcibly removing Occupy Democracy protestors and snatching sleeping bags, cardboard and tarpaulins as illegal 'sleeping equipment', apparently on direct orders from the Mayor, Boris Johnson. Yet the rally keeps on growing ....

Environmental campaigner and former politician Donnachadh McCarthy on the power of political lobbyists and the damage they do to democracy.

The Trouble with Billionaires: How the Super-Rich Hijacked the World (and How We Can Take It Back) exposes the damage done by extreme wealth to our democracy, our economy and our social stability.

The latest book by activist Aidan Ricketts presents a powerful guide to successful campaigning.

A new Ecology Party would work for a change in values, a paradigm shift in which human beings learn to work with the grain of the natural world, instead of against it.

With the global credit crunch grabbing all the headlines, issues concerning economies on a lesser scale are easily sidelined.

Has your local pub closed down? Is your high street turning into a drab strip of chain stores? Has Tesco boarded up your post-office and turned in into an 'express' store? If so, then you need to know about the Sustainable Communities Bill. Mark Anslow asks if this is the most important piece of legislation since Labour came to power

Last December's Barker Review replaces democracy with economic growth. Ex <i>Ecologis</i>t editor Simon Fairlie claims our land is being sold to the highest bidder

Don’t wait for Dave or Tony to give you a hug. If you are dissatisfied with your leaders, take control of your own

Far from being proof of our political emancipation, our right to vote in parliamentary elections is a symbol of power that keeps us powerless.

from the pulpit: We interrupt our regular programming for a moral advisory…