Wales Green Party will be hosting a democracy debate at this year’s Green Gathering Festival in Chepstow on Sunday 16th August. Mark McGowen, known on Youtube as ‘The Artist Taxi Driver’ a political video-blogger, will be speaking at the debate. The debate is titled: ‘The UK establishment, our Broken Democracy 'THE WESTMONSTER'. Where do we go from here?’ paying homage to Mark’s most recent online film: WESTMONSTER.
Other panellists include Rob Griffiths, General Secretary, Communist Party of Britain & co-signatory of The People's Assembly; Anthony Slaughter, Deputy Leader, Wales Green Party; and Liz Payne, Secretary, National Assembly of Women.
The debate is organised by Jim Scott from Wales Green Party, who will also chair the debate.
Jim Scott said: “I am thrilled to have organised this debate for Green Gathering where so many political activists put their heads together each year. It is fantastic that Mark McGowen and the other panellists have agreed to bring this important topic to the wider debate. The Westminster bubble has become an uncontrollable monster in its own right and Mark’s latest film highlights this.
76% of the UK electorate did not vote for Austerity, Fracking, NHS privatisation or tax breaks for the super-rich in May, yet we all now have to suffer and endure the onslaught which this government will continue to inflict on our society with renewed gusto. We are the only nation in Europe which clings on to this undemocratic and unrepresentative ‘First Past the Post’ voting system. I am glad that people will get a chance to discuss this on Sunday and address the reality of our predicament. It seems increasingly clear that it is going to take a mass movement and well organised civil disobedience to resist this government’s ideological war on the poor and further dismantling of citizen’s rights until a genuinely democratic voting system is put in place.”
Mark McGowen, who said he is looking forward to the debate, has spent several years building up a large following on his Youtube channel. McGowen has created three full length films, comprising of his interviews with social and political commentators as well as political activists including Russell Brand, Frankie Boyle and Caroline Lucas, as well as those affected by austerity, privatisation and war. McGowen has become an inspiration to tens of thousands of people on the left of politics who follow his daily videos as ChunkyMark ‘The Artist Taxi Driver’.
Anthony Slaughter from Wales Green Party, who is also participating at the debate, said: “Our democracy is broken. Millions cast their vote recently with no hope of any representation. Countless more have given up completely on participating in this sham. Yet time and time again we see a real public hunger for political engagement and meaningful participation. From the Occupy movement through to the Scottish independence referendum to the Green Surge, this growing desire is becoming far too visible to be ignored by the stale, tired status quo. It is vital that we continue to move forward together to create a truly representative democracy that works for all at every level of government.”
Jim Scott added: “I hope that this debate will be an opportunity for people who feel disenfranchised by the current democratic system to get stuck in and discuss how they can take back the power and join the growing movement for change.”
The Artist Taxi Driver interviewing Frankie Boyle