Letter: Citizen power

I noted with interest Peter MacMahon's article on how to get the public more engaged in the political process in the face of diminishing election turnouts (25 August).

One way to boost engagement is to give individuals power over key decisions through a citizens' initiative, whereby the collection of a certain number of signatures on a subject triggers a referendum, a common occurrence in the likes of Switzerland and the US.

In Spain, the recent ban on bullfighting by the Catalan Parliament was initiated through a petition which collected more than 180,000 signatures.

In the UK the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition agreement gives residents the power to instigate local referendums on any local issue, and any petition with 100,000 signatures will be eligible for formal debate in Parliament, with the petition with the most signatures enabling members of the public to table a bill to be voted on in Parliament.

In addition, the power of recall is to be introduced, allowing a by-election where an MP is found to have engaged in serious wrongdoing and having had a petition signed by 10 per cent of constituents.

While much of this is relevant at a UK level, we should be looking at similar powers to be introduced as a minimum for the Scottish Parliament, engaging the public more effectively in the political process.

Alex Orr

Leamington Terrace

Edinburgh