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Could a referendum campaign be the answer? Saira Khan, who made her name as a contestant on The Apprentice, was on the programme this morning talking about her new brainchild, the campaign. She'd like to see referenda used more often in the UK: it will re-engage the public in politics by giving us a more direct line to government decisions. It's an approach to direct democracy that's already being tried in other countries, such as Switzerland and Poland, and in some American states.

Saira proposes that a referendum should be held on an issue that wins sufficient public support -- if, for example, a million signatures are collected on a petition. We talked about whether that approach might work in Northern Ireland, given the unpopularity of the new rates valuations system.

I invited listeners to vote on whether they would like a referendum on the rates and, in the end, no less than 98 per cent texted in their support for the idea. Saira also said she would be willing to come to Northern Ireland to help mobilise a pro-referendum campaign, if local people got organised and requested her support.