Democracy MAX

DevoMAX, it is a very clever idea.  How, in a moral and ethical sense, can a democratic UK parliament stop it's citizens from taking back power that they have given up to it in the first place?  A fine democratic paradox indeed.

We are all empowered to do what ever we like within the law.  However, we are constrained in the exercise of our free will by all sorts of things - cultural and religious norms, economics, the daily commitments of work and family - many things.  Basically, our free will operates within uncomfortably tight boundaries.  The more the state increases it's reach through legislation, regulation and local managerialism, then so our personal freedoms are coralled into an ever shrinking 'private realm.'  My gripe about this is familiar and well stated elsewhere.  We the citizens transfer power to the people who represent us and who exercise power on our behalf.   This is democracy and it's the best we got.  Well, no actually, I don't think it is the best we got and here is my recipe for DemoMAX:

• A revised electoral system based on PR (OK not the best starting point given recent events) and red-button home voting, voting age reduced to 16 and a three yearly voting week - for all elections.
• A multi-party Cabinet system that incorporates the five best supported parties - this increases plurality, encourages agonistic discussion, enforces pragmatism and provides more incentive to start parties (which I believe is a good thing for a healthy democracy).
• A titular, rotating Prime Minister.  We simply must remove the cult of the personality and presidentialism - we want the the best people to run the country not those that give the best 'face.'
• A Bicameral system with the second chamber formed of representatives of the regions appointed by local governments
• A peoples' veto - the right to call a referendum to validate controversial legislation (with a trigger of 5% of the electorate) and a popular proposal - the right to call for legislation or a debate in Parliament.  This principle should operate at every democratic level.
• A federated UK government of the regions.  Enhanced parish/neighbourhood councils, unitary local governments and regional assemblies on equal footing with Wales, Scotland and NI. A principle of reversed subsidiarity - where powers are given upwards (and may be taken back) from one tier to the next, ensuring that the role of national/regional/local govermnment is restricted.         
• A facilitated participative democracy - with duties placed on decision makers to ensure that they engage all sections of the local community.  If the law needs and army of practitioners, then so does democracy - a network of community organisers.
• An asset based approach to community governance - working through the network of existing community groups and activists.

Well, it is a starting point I guess.  Bring on the discussion.