The Pirate Party in the UK adopted a set of seven principles on which its policies are based. All the policies and ideas you see here, as well as the stances we take in our advocacy, local or national campaigning, come from these seven principles. They determine whether we can or cannot support a specific initiative and they should be sufficient to determine our position on any number of issues, whether outlined in our manifesto or additional policy documents or not:

• Our society is built upon the sharing of knowledge, ideas and culture. It is furthered by freedom of thought and expression, and protected by the rule of law. The Pirate Party exists to ensure the preservation and development of these foundations.

• All are equal under the law. We all have a say in the structure and processes of governance and the right to know what is done on our behalf.

• To endure the security of our society it is the responsibility of the government to provide for its defence, the mechanisms of justice and such services and in infrastructure required to meet its needs.

• To be free to participate in society everyone must have access to justice, education and such services and in infrastructure required for life within it.

• We will act on the basis of evidence, with the consent of society through democracy, in the interests of all.

• Human Dignity is inviolable. Each of us has a right to life and to live, to freedom of thought and self determination, and to participate in society.

• Respect for our private and family life by government and society is fundamental and we all have freedom of choice in our associations and relationships.

Democracy is in crisis in the United Kingdom. Whether it is online or on the doorstep, people are telling us that they feel alienated, ignored, that they have given up voting as it changes nothing.

It's this sense of powerlessness over the forces that shape our lives and the space around us that is so worrying in the UK today. Creeping privatisation means all aspects of our society are being divided up and parcelled out. It can be impossible to find out who is responsible for the most basic aspects of our environment, public spaces and services, let alone get anyone to do anything about it.

We are constantly under surveillance, whether it is by Europe's biggest army of CCTV cameras or by companies like ATOS checking up on us. In a country of physical barriers, many find the online world a place to reclaim some freedom. But here too we are increasingly to be watched and restricted, while government and courts gather powers to disconnect us, block websites and monitor what we say and do.

At the heart of Pirate Party politics is the right for everyone to share knowledge and take an equal part in society. That is the way to take control over the world around us. That is what we are setting out here.

This document is the result of the input and debate of thousands of people. It's the UK's first crowd-sourced manifesto. We've always believed in a politics that is done with people not to people, this is what we have delivered here. The process has been exciting not just because it has been unique in British politics, but also because it has resulted in a manifesto that really does offer a chance to break the cycle of alienation and powerlessness.

The Pirate Party Develops Policy in a collaborative manner, allowing anyone to have input and ultimately allowing its members to make the decision as to what the party stands for. The policies you find on these pages are the result of a process that allows us to refine and continually assess our positions, a process that we would encourage you to take part in.

The result is a broad range of principles, that our candidates will be proud to stand on.

For more information get in touch with our policy coordination team.

You can find our Snap General Election 2017 Pirate Manifesto here.