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| The petition, the 'prat' and a political ideal | The petition, the 'prat' and a political ideal |
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| By Tom Geoghegan BBC News Magazine A government minister has labelled the controversial online petitions on Downing Street's website as an own-goal thought up by a "prat". So how does the man behind the site defend it? And does the petition reliably reflect national mood? | By Tom Geoghegan BBC News Magazine A government minister has labelled the controversial online petitions on Downing Street's website as an own-goal thought up by a "prat". So how does the man behind the site defend it? And does the petition reliably reflect national mood? |
| Gone are the days when files full of signatures were wheeled to the front door of Number 10. | Gone are the days when files full of signatures were wheeled to the front door of Number 10. |
| In the spirit of a more technological age, Downing Street now invites visitors to its website to create online petitions on any subject, for others to add their support at the click of a mouse. | In the spirit of a more technological age, Downing Street now invites visitors to its website to create online petitions on any subject, for others to add their support at the click of a mouse. |
| Launched in November, this new internet democracy has been embraced by the public, with 2,860 active petitions. But the might of one stands out, with a massive 1,274,362 "signatures", and counting. | Launched in November, this new internet democracy has been embraced by the public, with 2,860 active petitions. But the might of one stands out, with a massive 1,274,362 "signatures", and counting. |
| Research shows people are more willing to sign a petition than engage in any other kind of political activity Tom SteinbergMySociety founder Will e-petitions change anything? "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to scrap the planned vehicle tracking and road pricing policy" are the 17 words which have sparked a row in government and much media coverage. | Research shows people are more willing to sign a petition than engage in any other kind of political activity Tom SteinbergMySociety founder Will e-petitions change anything? "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to scrap the planned vehicle tracking and road pricing policy" are the 17 words which have sparked a row in government and much media coverage. |
| Number 10 is investigating a national road pricing scheme, yet it appears about 2-3% of the adult population has already voiced its displeasure, putting ministers on the defensive about their transport policy. | Number 10 is investigating a national road pricing scheme, yet it appears about 2-3% of the adult population has already voiced its displeasure, putting ministers on the defensive about their transport policy. |
| A unnamed minister has reportedly said the petitions website was dreamt up by a "prat" and was proving a public relations disaster. Tom Steinberg, who did not come up with the idea but did put it together, denies the minister was talking about him. | |
| When Downing Street needed to make its e-democracy dream a reality, it approached MySociety, Steinberg's non-aligned organisation which builds websites to empower people in the civic and community aspects of their lives. | When Downing Street needed to make its e-democracy dream a reality, it approached MySociety, Steinberg's non-aligned organisation which builds websites to empower people in the civic and community aspects of their lives. |
| For example, its HearFromYourMP site pressures MPs to tell constituents who sign up what they are doing. | For example, its HearFromYourMP site pressures MPs to tell constituents who sign up what they are doing. |
| Petition power | Petition power |
| Despite the controversy over his latest creation, Mr Steinberg, 29, stands by the petition website's intention to increase political participation. | Despite the controversy over his latest creation, Mr Steinberg, 29, stands by the petition website's intention to increase political participation. |
| "Academic research shows people are more willing to sign a petition than engage in any other kind of political activity," he says. "It's a simple process and clear what you are doing - putting your voice to a statement." | "Academic research shows people are more willing to sign a petition than engage in any other kind of political activity," he says. "It's a simple process and clear what you are doing - putting your voice to a statement." |
| Traditional methods of petitioning still happen | Traditional methods of petitioning still happen |
| Petitions are not meant to be representative of the country like an opinion poll, they just indicate what one group of people think on a subject, he says, and they are a powerful way to make politicians aware of an issue which is important to that particular group of people. | Petitions are not meant to be representative of the country like an opinion poll, they just indicate what one group of people think on a subject, he says, and they are a powerful way to make politicians aware of an issue which is important to that particular group of people. |
| What makes the Downing Street petitions completely different to anything else is the government can e-mail all those who signed up. | What makes the Downing Street petitions completely different to anything else is the government can e-mail all those who signed up. |
| "That's historically unprecedented. For decades petitions have been given to Number 10 but it was too expensive to write replies back to tell them and it was instead done through the headlines of newspapers, which have their own agendas. | "That's historically unprecedented. For decades petitions have been given to Number 10 but it was too expensive to write replies back to tell them and it was instead done through the headlines of newspapers, which have their own agendas. |
| "Now if the petition is big or small, the government can send back messages directly." | "Now if the petition is big or small, the government can send back messages directly." |
| Some of the other petitions which figure on the Number 10 website could kindly be called long shots, such as getting Tony Blair to stand on his head and juggle ice cream, banning school homework and Halloween, cancelling the London Olympics and making Gold by Spandau Ballet the new national anthem. | Some of the other petitions which figure on the Number 10 website could kindly be called long shots, such as getting Tony Blair to stand on his head and juggle ice cream, banning school homework and Halloween, cancelling the London Olympics and making Gold by Spandau Ballet the new national anthem. |
| Abuse | Abuse |
| But given how easy it is to sign up, and the fact that 3,313 people have supported the attempt for the prime minister to perform like a circus act, how seriously can we take the transport petition? | But given how easy it is to sign up, and the fact that 3,313 people have supported the attempt for the prime minister to perform like a circus act, how seriously can we take the transport petition? |
| Mr Steinberg believes the Number 10 online petitions are a lot less open to abuse than signed ones, because one email address has only one vote and anyone can make up a written name and signature. And it does not appear there has been any highly-organised viral campaign on road charging. | Mr Steinberg believes the Number 10 online petitions are a lot less open to abuse than signed ones, because one email address has only one vote and anyone can make up a written name and signature. And it does not appear there has been any highly-organised viral campaign on road charging. |
| Mudslinging has followed the publicity | Mudslinging has followed the publicity |
| Anything that engages people in politics, both party politics and issue-specific politics, should be encouraged, says Joe Twyman of internet research firm YouGov. | Anything that engages people in politics, both party politics and issue-specific politics, should be encouraged, says Joe Twyman of internet research firm YouGov. |
| "With turnouts at elections falling, anything like this is a good thing but you have to judge each on its own merits." | "With turnouts at elections falling, anything like this is a good thing but you have to judge each on its own merits." |
| Ben Page, director of MORI, believes the transport petition is clearly significant but not too much should be read into it yet. | Ben Page, director of MORI, believes the transport petition is clearly significant but not too much should be read into it yet. |
| "I'm not yet convinced it's the overwhelming issue that upsets everyone in this country. It's not the Iraq War. | "I'm not yet convinced it's the overwhelming issue that upsets everyone in this country. It's not the Iraq War. |
| "Could they get two million people to London? We would be seeing it in all the opinion polls if this was a really seismic thing starting to occur." | "Could they get two million people to London? We would be seeing it in all the opinion polls if this was a really seismic thing starting to occur." |
| It's a gentle movement towards participative democracy Ben PageMORI | It's a gentle movement towards participative democracy Ben PageMORI |
| Walk into a pub and ask anyone what the key issues affecting their life are and they are more likely to say health, crime or immigration, says Mr Page. Transport is not in the top five and its importance has been receding. | Walk into a pub and ask anyone what the key issues affecting their life are and they are more likely to say health, crime or immigration, says Mr Page. Transport is not in the top five and its importance has been receding. |
| "I don't want to denigrate it, but because it just requires a click I would be more convinced if there was a major movement in public opinion." | "I don't want to denigrate it, but because it just requires a click I would be more convinced if there was a major movement in public opinion." |
| But, Mr Page concedes, it could mark a new phase in British democracy. It's not "the death of Parliament," he says, "but it's a gentle movement towards participative democracy." | But, Mr Page concedes, it could mark a new phase in British democracy. It's not "the death of Parliament," he says, "but it's a gentle movement towards participative democracy." |
Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |