You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
What do we actually need to do as a country and what is achievable? Would people vote for you? How do you convince people of the need for change?
I've long been of the opinion we need a fresh party in the UK, kind of "By the People, for the People" It feels like our whole current system of government is broken and unchangeable.
Bin dun...
[img] 
[/img]
The "Just let's get things working as they should" party.
It surely can't be that hard to raise enough money so that the courts, schools, road, railways health care and so on functions as they should while providing the sorts of care that's not embarrassing for the elderly, unwell, or unemployed. Or am I being stupid?
Alternatively; a free bouncy castle and weekend's worth of coke for everyone over the age of 18, whichever's the cheaper.
1. New national motto, inspired by Bill and Ted: "Be excellent to each another".
2. We **** love experts.
3. Chris Boardman for PM.
.1 don’t be a ****
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs"
To which I would add making excellent public transport a priority.
How do you convince people of the need for change?
I thought that had already been achieved?
I for one am looking forward to the new road that the UK will embark on after the next general election.
And the Tories are so incredibly stupid and inept that anyone with half a brain will be able to sort things out, I know that because I read the political threads on stw.
You just wait and see.
It surely can’t be that hard to raise enough money so that the courts, schools, road, railways health care and so on functions as they should while providing the sorts of care that’s not embarrassing for the elderly, unwell, or unemployed. Or am I being stupid?
Gets my vote. Just needs education around how the economy and government money actually works so people don;t get concerned, or more like bullshitted to, about things they don't need to be.
Ok, it was obviously a light hearted electioneering attempt by me last night but your post had me thinking.
A bit of humour and promising things I could never deliver gets Likes votes.
I know, I know, it's a tenuous link but not too far from real world politicking. Don't come across as to serious (Boris...) And promise things you have little chance of delivering and make complex issues seem simple (most governments but particularly the current one.)
In reality I wouldn't want to be a politician, you have to sell your soul for even the small wins. Id also be totally crap at it.
Anyone who supports sending immigrants to Rwanda gets deported to Rwanda.
"If you are not happy, then how can I be?"
.1 don’t be a ****
Yes, the Rule No.1 Party.
Simplify the personal and corporate tax system (Everyone pays the same proportion on all income of whatever sort (including beneficial use type get outs), Companies can't offshore income earned in this country via the usual tricks.
Ok it would take international cooperation but the only people objecting to changes like this are either the very rich or tax havens.
At the moment we are diverted into shock and horror at relatively minor sums gained in benefits fraud while people get off with a slapped wrist for 'forgetting' to declare millions
The problem with any sensible manifesto is that there will be losers as well as winners.
Most media’s business model is based around keeping attention by scaring people.
Therefore Keir Starmer is coming for your car etc.
LTZs and public transport are popular. But you wouldn’t think it from the fuss in the press and on social media.
I will do the best I can with the resources I have. I won’t lie and I won’t bullshit. I will try and create a fairer society. This means if you’re rich, you’ll become a bit poorer. If you’re poor, you’ll become a bit richer. If you don’t like it you can go **** yourself.
free booze
I will do the best I can with the resources I have. I won’t lie and I won’t bullshit. I will try and create a fairer society. This means if you’re rich, you’ll become a bit poorer. If you’re poor, you’ll become a bit richer. If you don’t like it you can go
**** yourselfto Rwanda.
This really, people need to understand that by giving up a little more now to the public purse, they will benefit down the line with better public services, better education, so less crime, more employment, less benefit costs, better local environments etc
I'm not clever enough to know, or stupid enough to pretend i know, how to make that change in real life happen
Main ones for me would be to get rid of the House of Lords, get rid of current voting system, but most importantly that if you are to be a member of the cabinet, you must come from that background, i.e. if you're the health minister, you should come from an NHS background, if you're the Defence minister, you should of served in the armed forces, otherwise you don't have the knowledge for the role, and you just have "yes men" telling you what you want to hear most of the time.
This means if you’re rich, you’ll become a bit poorer. If you’re poor, you’ll become a bit richer. If you don’t like it you can go **** yourself.
I seem to recall that one of the fun bits about this was that people always think of themselves as "not rich", which applies to "someone else". It might have been around that time where phrases to describe groups like "Just About Managing" were all the rage, because basically everyone thought it applied to them.
When im installed as chairman petrieboy im abolishing political parties and we’ll choose MPs in a random ballot much like jury service.
We all get to vote on manifesto points
Jury service MPs must do their best to deliver on those manifesto points
At the end of the 5 years they go back to their old jobs
Anyone caught lying or profiteering from their position goes up against the wall - non exec director of a hedge fund 2 years after your term in office? Off with your head!
I seem to recall that one of the fun bits about this was that people always think of themselves as “not rich”, which applies to “someone else”. It might have been around that time where phrases to describe groups like “Just About Managing” were all the rage, because basically everyone thought it applied to them.
I refer these people to the last part of my manifesto!
Came here to post rule number 1 but been done.
To paraphrase - Don't be a dick shall be the whole of the law.
As far as the real world goes, not saying he's anywhere near fulfilled his promise by any means, but UK politics and society needs a bit of a Macron moment - someone new appearing from kind of nowhere with what at least feels like something fresh to offer.
I’d probably keep it simple and easy to remember, also easy to follow and would be effective as advertising billboards.
1 : Don’t be a dick
2 : See rule 1
where would you even start? too much to do,
I'd dissolve all 3rd party government contracts tomorrow, roads, rail, education, health, everything, anything, on a instant hire and rehire basis, with a sort it out in 6 months
the amount of money that must be pissed away on nothing, or stuff done half arsed must be phenomenal, especially with transport, the roads are mess, nothing gets done quick enough, transport disruption in Hull for example that's local, has been insane, for years, with no end in site
anything that's been run as a loss over multiple years well it can go,
time and motion studies on anyone band 7 and above in the NHS, it's just a bloated managerial reacharoud, show me a tangible difference you make in a few months or back to band 5/6 you go and back into a ward based jobs, because god knows were lacking
rent caps, energy caps, rate caps,
school dinner sold off to the lowest paying bidder who reheat micro meals delivered daily, bollocks
benefits overhaul, as that a complete mess
compulsory puchase orders on properties stood empty for more than 12 months at below market rate, compulsory purchase orders on commercial property stood empty for more than 24 months at 20% of market rate
essentially burn it all down and start again
and missed that from dyna-ti, reform of the prison system, reintroduction of the death penalty, hell why not, anyone of a whole life term, off you go, sex offenders, off your go, your not contributing anything to society and it's eating into funds well just housing you
I'm with nick on this one. The "if you're going to do it, do it properly" party.
Sadly the 2 leaders of the big parties have demonstrated that having had "proper jobs" until a relatively late entry into politics has meant that they don't have the ingrained "nous" that 30 years of PTA committees, local council experience gives you. So they can't stop alienating their members by sticking to their principles at exactly the wrong time. (e.g. not realising that a humanitarian truce is not the same as cease fire and it's hard to explain to the hard of thinking why a cease fire is a bad thing).
It's often said that the people best suited for public office would never run for it (or variations on that theme).
Politicians shouldn't be in post simply to grease the wheels of capitalism (as most seemingly have throughout my life). But in the UK we seem to be wed to the idea that voting for the same cynical bastards that put business interests ahead of hospitals and schools is the 'grown up choice' and to think otherwise is utopian stupidity...
Boris recognised that the plebs were keen on change, and so promised all sorts as a result, but beneath the presentation was no different to most of his precessors. What has followed has largely been variations on the same theme.
I think the likely SKS' government will embody many similar faults to 'new Labour' which is a lesser evil today, but it does feel like we could do better as a nation.
I feel like reforming our government needs us to change the people that make it up, specifically the people the parties are just the 'vehicle'.
My manifesto pledge would be to implement an independent pre-electoral vetting body:
An organisation which, without fear or favour, would check the background of any candidate being put forward on a ballot, they would look at all of their connections personal, social and of course business related. Investments and existing interests would need to be declared for at least the preceding decade. Affairs, convictions, drink driving, fights in pubs, spousal abuse, nothing would be off limits. So they would need to be sure they wanted to let the world see them as they really are...
A summary report on each candidate would be published for the voters to review, and for those too busy/lazy to read it, each candidate would be given a simple 'out of ten' score on a number of metrics 'charity involvement', 'social involvement', 'business interests', 'Ethical conduct', 'financial stability' etc. the voters can of course decide which metrics matter to them. But would you vote for an ethical 2?
People talk about "change" and undeliverable promises but anything like meaningful change would need to actually start with a better understanding of the people we entrust to deliver it, to do that you actually need to know more about them...
I would probably fail my own proposed vetting process, but then I probably shouldn't be in parliament 🙂
My manifesto was written up by two beardy hipsters in Chetham's Library in 1848.
Everyone up against the wall. No exceptions. Or free cake, you can choose.
In the words of Viv Savage: "Have a good time...all the time."
Or free cake, you can choose.
We're all out of cake.
anything that’s been run as a loss over multiple years well it can go,
There's a strong argument that most public services should be run at a loss - or at least that profit should not be the driving force behind them and that any profit is re-invested in the system.
But certain aspects of it (bus and train services being a classic example) you cannot run effectively without heavy subsidy.
Anyone who has a Uk passport is subject to Uk taxation wherever they live in the world. If you want the “benefits” of being a Uk citizen and having a passport then you should contribute to the cost of running the country
1. Proportional representation. No more capture of the political landscape by a small faction of one party.
2. Public services require investment. Stop pretending otherwise. Countries work better if you tax and spend. Look at France. Never mind subsidising public transport., you can’t have roads unless you’re prepared to give people ‘something for nothing’. am fully in favour of subsidising public transport by the way.
3. Mandatory school trips to at least 6 different countries by the age of 18.
4. Three traffic offences and your car goes in a crusher . I’m including parking on pavements here.
5. Devolution. Keep going. More power at local level focuses people on civic process, and brings people in to improving their areas. If it’s worth being a local politician, quality will get better and the national talent pool will improve.
I thought that had already been achieved?
The big positive change voted for in 2016?
We’re all loving that… what’s the next big one?
Promise everything, deliver (worse than) nothing. Is that what we want more of?
Loving Clover’s response by the way, and any others. An insular country can lead to an easily manipulated section of the voting public, a dangerous thing when paired with a voting system that delivers total control based on a minority vote and a reliance on the “good chap principle” with a loosely framed constitution. And nothing can improve if every project, infrastructure and service must deliver direct monetary value.
5 things listed and one of them is traffic offences. Some perspective required there, just a bit I think. The others are not bad though.
Aspirations? Great question.
Let's start with the basics. As I see it every human should have several things as a fundamental nesscity.
1. A dwelling. Somewhere to live that is warm in the winter and has cooking facilities so that they can make meals for themselves and for their children.
2. Enough clothes and shoes to cover themselves up and keep warm in the winter.
3. Enough food to eat and not starve. At least two meals a day and enough water to drink.
4. Healthcare. If something's wrong you get seen by a doctor and you receive treatment until you are better. This also includes old age where you are taken care of, free of charge, in a clean and caring environment until you pass away. All medicines and medical aids are also free of charge.
5. Security. You should be able to live peacefully without other people coming in and stealing your possessions or raping your wife. This should also probably be included at a national level too.
If you can work you should work and provide these things for yourself and your family. If you're unable to work, if you're elderly or disabled for example, you get all of these things provided for you, free of charge. Just because it's the right thing to do. It is basic compassion, decency and love.
It is disgusting in the UK today that there are people trying to survive without one or several of these things. Political parties should start there, these things should be at the top of the list. Primary concerns. All other issues are secondary and only serve as a distraction while we do not have all of these things for ourselves and for all our fellow humans.
Get rid of politicians and representative democracy. Replace it with a delegatory system where we elect part time administrators who also have real jobs.
Traffic offences are one of those weirdly misunderstood things. Cars being driven badly change people’s attitudes quite fundamentally- streets feel unsafe, kids don’t play out, busy road dwellers’ sleep patterns are disturbed, people can’t walk or wheel from a to b because the pavements are blocked. Also huge public expense with every accident.
Getting into a car seems to affect people’s adherence to rule 1. So cars need to be taken out of the hands of those not considerate of their fellow human beings. If I get my public transport investment programme through there will be plenty of options. Until then we’ll all be driving round like with a bit more caution.
I'd buy hemp products over 'artificial ones' any day of the week... but it always seems to be super expensive compared to the established nasty stuff.
Part of my manifesto would be massive subsidies for renewals/sustainables, and huge tax hikes for stuff that isn't. I appreciate its not that simple, but when we have a governent that seems STILL hellbent on fossil fuels etc... I'm sure there's a lot that can be done without the shackles of lobbyists etc.
Lobbyists are just the friendly legal face of corruprion, afterall.