EPetitions
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==Petitions of interest== | ==Petitions of interest== | ||
| − | * [http://web.archive.org/web/20100523143403/http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/K-BMethod/ Kadir-Buxton Method] | + | * [http://web.archive.org/web/20100523143403/http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/K-BMethod/ Kadir-Buxton Method]: Petition to use the [[Kadir-Buxton Method]] in the NHS to cure the mentally ill. In its time period, it gained the most amusing 47 signatures on a PM's petition so far. |
| − | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2035 Repeal the Climate Change Act] | + | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2035 Repeal the Climate Change Act]: "It is based on a totally false premise—the science of anthropogenic global warming was completely discredited by the '[[climategate]]' scandal." Gained about 1200 signatures. |
| − | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/45 Stop using IE6] | + | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/45 Stop using IE6]: About 450 people have signed to tell the government to update its software from 2001. |
| − | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/301 Remove the ban on gay blood donation] | + | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/301 Remove the ban on gay blood donation]: Over 6,600 signatures in support of ending discrimination against men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood. |
| − | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2159 No homeopathy] | + | * [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/2159 No homeopathy]: In line with the government's own Science and Technology Committee's findings that [[homeopathy]] is a load of bunk, just short of 3,000 people want it removed from the NHS. Just under 4,000 however, are [http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/11068 for it]. |
===Rejects=== | ===Rejects=== | ||
Revision as of 02:31, 24 December 2011
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The ePetition, otherwise known as the (UK) Prime Minister's Petition, is arguably the first Internet petition system to mean something: it allows concerns to be brushed off officially, rather than simply ignored.
Anyone can start a petition asking that the government do something. Petitions run for a length of time and are then officially answered if they get a reasonable number of signers.
Contents |
History
The site was first set up by hardworking British geeks mySociety with the Prime Minister's office back in Tony Blair's day. As soon as the Tories got in in 2010, they threw the system away. They then set up an entirely new system that spent the first week falling over under the load.
The system has undergone several re-brands and reorganisations since being set up. At first it was exclusively the Prime Minister that was petitioned. In the most recent incarnation, any office of the UK government can be petitioned individually.[1] All petitions have to undergo an approval process, although rejected ones are still published for all to see, and can provide an amusing half-hour's browsing. The current threshold for getting a petition discussed is 100,000 signatures, although the threshold for having some lower-level orderly tell you why the petition is batshit crazy, impossible, outside the remit of government, racist or just grammatically incoherent is a little lower.
Effectiveness
Pretty much all petitions are answered either with a straight "no" or some kind of similar brush-off, but at least their existence is acknowledged.[2] However, the over two million signatures to the petition against a road tax charged per mile of travel fairly conclusively marked the idea as electoral suicide for the foreseeable future, despite the official response, so they're not entirely futile.
In August 2011, the online petitions gained some media attention by attracting several thousand signatures in favour of restoring capital punishment in the UK, prompting MPs and Ministers to demand that it be seriously discussed in parliament should it reach the appropriate number of supporters. The petition to retain the ban on it, however, gained more support in a shorter amount of time and both were dwarfed by the level of support for returning Formula 1 racing to the BBC.[3]
About the only petition to have actually worked directly is John Graham-Cumming's petition asking Her Majesty's government to formally apologise for the prosecution of mathematician and computer science pioneer Alan Turing for being gay.[4]
Petitions of interest
- Kadir-Buxton Method: Petition to use the Kadir-Buxton Method in the NHS to cure the mentally ill. In its time period, it gained the most amusing 47 signatures on a PM's petition so far.
- Repeal the Climate Change Act: "It is based on a totally false premise—the science of anthropogenic global warming was completely discredited by the 'climategate' scandal." Gained about 1200 signatures.
- Stop using IE6: About 450 people have signed to tell the government to update its software from 2001.
- Remove the ban on gay blood donation: Over 6,600 signatures in support of ending discrimination against men who have sex with men (MSM) from donating blood.
- No homeopathy: In line with the government's own Science and Technology Committee's findings that homeopathy is a load of bunk, just short of 3,000 people want it removed from the NHS. Just under 4,000 however, are for it.
Rejects
A selection of rejected petitions. Also known as the "shut the fuck up you lunatic" pile.
- A petition demanding that the FIFA games be taught in school
- Pretty much the entire pile for the Ministry of Justice is a variant of BRING BACK HANGING!
- Similarly, everything on the reject pile for the Department of International Development is about not giving any more money to
the darkiesforeigners. - Obsession with a 'Twin Earth': This one is just missing some green ink.
- Teenagers and their drugs... *sigh*: Rejected because it "did not have a clear statement explaining what action you want the government to take".
- Keep the original "Thomas the Tank Engine" theme tune
- make sexual relations and marraige between dwarves illegal
- Stop Alex Reid playing He-Man in the 2013 big screen remake
- Include Morris dancers in the Olympic Opening Ceremony
- EQUIP OUR ARMED FORCES WITH THE TACTICAL HIGH ENERGY LASER