Frequently Asked Questions

In July 2012, 33 people gathered in the Swan Hotel Harrogate, recruited from the readership of Dr Richard North’s blog ‘EU Referendum’, as a result of which the THA was born. Our pamphlet was produced in 2013 listing our six demands to improve our governance to make it more democratic. As with any new movement there were teething problems as we had to deal with a break away fraction which ultimately did not stay the course. 2014 was spent trying to build up the team to spread the word but this was put on hold when it was unanimously agreed amongst the de facto committee, that with the pending EU referendum, we would devote our energies to supporting the leave campaign. This was based on our belief that none of our six demands were compatible with our membership of the EU.

THA ultimately decided to joined with five other groups in ‘The Leave Alliance’ to promote Dr North’s detailed Brexit Plan: Flexcit. Brexit in 2016 and its aftermath occupied our minds until we had actually left in 2020. Since lockdowns finished, we have, steadily if slowly, been working to build our presence and refine our message. The finalised THA message is now scheduled to be written up as a book, by Dr North, that we trust will be a lasting legacy and reference to our six demands. When published we will advertise it on here.

The short answer is nobody as we strongly believe our success will depend on becoming a ‘People’s movement’ with a multitude of groups or cells, in numerous locations throughout the UK each with their own centres of control and leadership. This is the starfish principle over the spider. A starfish has five legs and no head and if you cut of one leg it regrows while if you cut of a spider’s head it dies.

Each group campaigning for all six of our demands, though it may be the choice of some to concentrate on an individual demand, or more. We believe it would be the death on the movement it was taken over by a single individual. In time as the movement grows campaigning ideas and initiatives will be broadcast via the internet. Having said that the authorship of our pamphlet was largely the work of Dr Richard North and Niall Warry has carried out the basic administration, since conception, that has thus far kept THA flame burning.

Very early on it was apparent that, despite the fact THA was founded on a very similar concept to the Chartists of 1838, our ideas were ahead of the times. Be minded that most people are still too occupied in trying to survive, in these difficult times, to think about reform of our governance.Promotion has to be by word of mouth and our demands exist, and have not been bettered since their conception.

We have a blog but currently we reach a wider audience by referencing THA, when applicable on Dr North’s new website/blog Turbulent Times. Anyone who spreads the word is a self-appointed Ambassador!

THA’s stance is very simple which is that with the necessary safeguards we believe the opinions of the majority of the electorate, in most instances but not all, should trump the views and opinions of 650 MPs who two easily become subject to groupthink, with views divorced from the majority of the population. Our fourth demand ‘The People’s Consent’ does set out the mechanisms for three types of referendum, akin to what the Swiss have had for many years.

First, a referendum meeting the formally agreed criteria can be raised by the people to make a recommendation to government. Second, a referendum could be raised to stop a piece of government legislation before it becomes law with a clear majority needed for this to  happen.Third, to challenge other decisions by elected and appointed official bodies including ministers and judges. We still require governments to govern but they would and should do so with the constant potential that the people could ask them to think again, in the probability they would and should face a referendum, if the government acted either beyond their powers or contra to the wishes and views of a probable majority. Finally, we would hope and expect the people’s selection, election or rejection, via a system of recall, of their representatives in government would ensure people’s referendums become the exception rather than the rule.

We do not support PR as we believe our existing parties are already coalitions and our system of FPTP enables the electorate to vote out a complete government when they wish. There is also no evidence that countries with systems of PR are any better governed.

The evidence is PR leads to endless coalition government, with deals done behind closed doors, after elections, with the people never knowing what policies the coalition government will pursue. There is also the danger of minority parties, clearly not supported by the majority having far too much influence, compared to their national level of support, should they be part of a coalition government.

We are a movement that wants to influence all parties of all colours and beliefs as we believe new parties come and go and seldom break through our predominately two-party system. Not being a ‘party’ allows anyone to support the real values of our campaign, contained in our six demands, so long as they believe in greater democracy with the key principle of giving the people real power that would ensure our politicians act as our servants instead of assuming the role of being our masters a job they currently do extremely badly. 

We do believe they are an idea whose time will come but we also realise that that political reform of this magnitude never has nor will happen over-night. Political reform comes from pressure from a grass root people’s movement, acting on the politicians, which has to be sustained or nothing will change. For example, from the Levellers of 1640s up to the Chartists of 1830s and beyond it took 240 years for men to get the vote. However, it is our considered belief that in this internet age change can be brought about over a shorter time scale but will always need pressure from the people at the grass roots. A good idea will never die though the originators may well, prior to the progress and improvements they advocate!

We do not have members as THA is a free association for anyone who believes in and supports our six demands – a genuine people’s movement. There is no fee, however you will appreciate costs have and are incurred, fortunately with the generosity of those, thus far involved with THA, it has survived and covered its costs to date.If you would like to help with the funding necessary to publish our book please get in touch. Finally, as the movement grows individual groups will be able to administer their own funding as required.

THA is now no longer a registered Ltd company, thus saving costs, and apart for some remaining pamphlets which are available if you contact us off the website, obviously written before we left the EU, we believe referral to our website, both Dr North’s Turbulent Times and Pete North’s blog and of course our forthcoming book are the essentials for our movement to spread by words of mouth.

In the first instant off the ‘Contact’ link on the website and please do get in touch if you have any other questions, ideas to share or would like to get involved.