Lets Create the manifesto we want to make the UK a better place!

First off I will start by explaining I am just an 'ordinary' English person. I don’t claim to be an expert in politics or economics or even current affairs. I do however claim to be an expert at being one among millions of people not satisfied with the way the country and the world are going. I want to see change!. I also don’t claim to have an answer to every problem.
With the above in mind you may decide my thoughts have no value, your entitled to think that and maybe they don’t. But if I don’t share my thoughts and ideas there is no discussion and I have no voice. A voice for the people is one of mankind's greatest and most fundamental rights (I am one of the lucky ones in the world able to use my voice and express my thoughts).

1. Addressing the perpetrators of terror

1.1 The government and the press should drop the term 'radical Muslim' ,'muslim extremist' etc and simply refer to the individuals carrying out these atrocities as something like 'radical idealists' thereby separating them from the Muslims in general. Most Muslims denounce these people and we as a nation should not only acknowledge that but also refuse to give false credit or misguided credit. While it seems these peoples roots are with Muslims it is clear these terrorists have become something that is not Muslim-they have 'mutated' into something diferent.

1.2 The press should not name terrorists in doing it seems that get a deranged 'hero' status instead simply refer to them as subject A, subject B etc. much in the same way special forces operatives are often referred to as soldier A soldier B etc.

1.3 Run hide tell procedure should be introduced in schools and if not already ,than be part of the health and safety briefing new employees undertake in businesses in major cities.

1.4 There should be a house of commons debate and possibly a referendum- (sorry, yes more voting!) on the possibility of all police officers being firearm trained and equipped during heightened terror alerts. I realize there is a cost* and moral implication to this but one I feel is worthwhile.

1.5 If not done so already a database should be set up that alerts authority to the buying or renting of vehicles by any of the individuals on the intelligence services 'watchlist' as at the moment that doesn’t seem to be happening.

1.6 Again if not already done so individuals returning from ISIS haunts such as Syria should be detained on entry to the UK until security services have checked their background and debriefed them.

1.7 Greater efforts need to be made on how we integrate multicultural into one 'United Kingdom' maybe taking a leaf from the U.S Citizenships Naturalization Test requiring a test on: English and Civics (U.K. history and government)


2. Bringing Education into relevance


2.1 Greater efforts need to be made to ready young people for the real world and reducing the pressure of exams. This could be done by spreading examinations over a longer period and also by adding more practical qualifications for those not traditionally scholastic see 2.3.

2.2 Schooling needs to take a path that is more practical and readies young people for the 'great outdoors'. Being taught life subjects such as form and application form completing, basic food preparation skills, changing a fuse or light bulb, basic car maintenance. Opening a bank account, conducting a shopping trip' looking for and applying for accommodation and associated services ie electric gas tv etc.

2.3 More relevant practical skills taught in schools ie trade basics carpentry electrical and plumbing as well as tech skills such as web development, photography, and office skills. Resulting in nvq style qualifications.

3. Dealing with long-term unemployed

3.1 those able to work but unable or unwilling to find work within a set period (1 year?) should partake in a 'willing to work program' these people can conduct work in community programs. See 3.2. Those unwilling to take part in 'willing to work' will have benefits stopped or reduced and food vouchers issued in lieu of payments.

3.2 setting up of community programs including assisting councils in street cleaning, park maintenance, roadside verge cutting and clearing. Also working with charities, this would not only help to improve and experience the environment these people live within but also help them find employment by being able to demonstrate a good work ethic and provide experience. These programs will not be instead of looking for work and so would be restricted to 20 hrs per week to allow job searching.


4. Making taxation and economy fairer
4.1 All working families should receive a 'base universal credit' based upon the national minimum income seewww.minimumincome.org.uk... every home receives a minimum income with employers topping up this amount by respective levels. This should mean there is no one having to live in poverty as well as helping to remove/blur any stigma for those having to rely on assistance from the government to survive.

4.2 All employees taxed 100% up to an amount based upon the national minimum income which is then paid out as a benefit. This would ensure everyone is paid at least the minimum wage.


5. improving the United Kingdoms roads

5.1 Road tax to be scrapped and a fuel duty added to fuel. Those who use the road most will on average pay more. This will also have a knock-on effect of encouraging people to buy more efficient cars with smaller cc engines thereby also benefiting the environment and in effect helping to make it harder to run a car on the road that is not taxed, instead of relying completely on ANPR cameras cars.

5.2 MOT test fee increased by a small amount adding a vehicle insurance check, and also issue of a new number plate 'badged to expiry date' this will help to make it easier to identify if a vehicle is
MOT'd as well as being a visual reminder of the expiry date.

5.3 Finance raised from speed cameras to be paid towards repairing our roads,

5.4 On passing your driving test you are then required to drive 2 years without any driving offences. Failing to complete this term results in a requirement for 5 lessons and retake of a test. This will ensure new drivers will drive with care.

5.5 Cyclists to pay a small yearly permit to use road, cyclists caught without will be issued a fixed penalty fine. The income from the permit will be used to maintain roads as well as on improving cycle paths. Finance derived from catching cyclists without a permit will go towards the local constabulary in order to assist in financing the policing.


continues

6. Increasing Funding of the NHS


6.1 Legalise and license cannabis this will raise significant funds in both the auction of licenses to manufacture and sell but also in tax duties charged at point of sale these funds paid to nhs.


6..2 Additional tax on alcohol and tobacco also paid to nhs


6.3 These duties will help to finance an increase in spending for the NHS as well as effectively taxing the specific people who historically are most likely to require greater treatment from the NHS.


6.4 encourage sponsorship of entire hospitals or wards by businesses local or international helping to pay for supplies and equipment used.

7. Encouraging a healthier United Kingdom.


7.1 Create a bad for you tax. This levy to be applied to foods high in fats salts or sugars. This tax is to be used to fund subsidising of healthy for you foods making fresh food and veg far cheaper to buy. while this wont resolve the issue it will encourage better choices


Helping the poor and homeless

8.1 Open empty government-owned buildings for use by charities as Home centers to use as dormitories taking the homeless off the streets and giving them somewhere dry for the night.


8.2 Use same building to offer counselling and support in coming off drug or alcohol abuse, often associated with homeless people.


8.3 Create legislation making it illegal to dispose of edible food stuffs by supermarkets due to damage or expired use by dates this 'unwanted' can be used to stock food banks and food/soup kitchens.


8.4 Use people on the 'willing to work' scheme see 3.1 to help staff these 'home centres'




Ok so that’s pretty much the extent of my ideas for a better United Kingdom please feel free to discuss and comment in a polite or constructive way making additions and amendments as you see fit to any policy. Lets see if together we can create a to do list of ways to improve the United Kingdom

a reply to: urbanfox

First let me say that I greatly appreciate your effort. It seems you care greatly about your nation. However, I think the suggestions you make are pretty much as applicable to any Western nation.

I think 1.5 is a particularly good idea. In this age of computers I don't think it would be too hard to implement.

a reply to: TobyFlenderson

Cheers Toby, Indeed I do care about my nation but more then this I care about the world I live in. thanks again

a reply to: urbanfox

Would've liked to have been more detailed, but I'm in a time crunch. Might drop back later.

Nice work OP, don't agree with all of it but I appreciate what you did.


Tax.

Introduce a flat tax of 35%
This should make it easier for the IR to close up loopholes that the rich use to avoid paying their share, things like non dom status and so forth.

Abolish NI for all earnings below 100k per year.

Education.

Abolish the stupid restrictions imposed by local authorities on how schools source everything from stationary to building work. At the moment they have to buy from "approved" suppliers which means they get shoddy service and pay over the odds.

Abolish tuition fees for University courses.

Get rid of structured school holidays and allow students and staff to pick which 10 weeks they want each year.

Healthcare

Tax bad foods, such as takeaway pizza, kebabs etc and use the money to subsidise fruit and veg.

Allow people to buy "Alzheimer's insurance" that can be used to help pay their care costs when older if they need to go in a home (At the moment, in addition to what the NHS pays, you can pay anywhere between 250 to 1200 quid a month to get someone in a decent care home).

Policing/security

Change the law and set up detention camps for Islamic terror suspects, have a real, honest debate about whether or not to execute all those who are part of this problem.

Give police the extra money they need to train up extra response teams in cities outside London.

Democracy

Start moving towards a system whereby people vote on every issue using their smartphones or pc's rather than rely upon the 650 MPs, eventually, we will have direct democracy. Until then....

Abolish the house of lords and replace it with an elected 2nd chamber using proportional representation.

Abolish the monarchy and replace with an elected President.

Lower the voting age to 16.

Make election fraud a mandatory 10 year prison sentence.

Housing

Take over all rental housing and provide affordable accommodation for all.

Abolish the bedroom tax

Stop investment cartels buying housing off plan which keeps prices artificially high.

That'll do for now I think.

All it sounds well enough. I do disagree with this part.

While it seems these peoples roots are with Muslims it is clear these terrorists have become something that is not Muslim-they have 'mutated' into something diferent.

Mohamed, the one that started islam, was a killer and a pedophile among other things. Islam started out radicalized.

a reply to: urbanfox

1.1: Why? Why put lipstick on a pig? I disagree with the perpetual attempt to sugar coat the nature of this threat.
1.2: I agree.
1.3: As an American I find "run, hide, tell" to be a fairly chickensnip alternative to actually empowering your own citizens. I'd never support that in this country, but maybe the UK prefers a more genteel way of dealing with their threats.
1.4: It boggles my goddamned mind that any country in 2017 doesn't have fully armed and trained police. This world is a walking hell, cops and citizens should be armed for it.
1.5: Sounds reasonable
1.6: As an American, I am patiently waiting for President Trump's travel ban to resolve that issue stateside.
1.7: I agree with this for the USA. That said, I also am cognizant of the very real (albeit politically incorrect) fact that you cannot bring a feral barn cat into the house and then be surprised when that cat cannot integrate with the housecats, instead attacking them and destroying the house. In this case, we're trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear and it will never work out to the advantage of the host country.

I'll leave the rest be as I have no dog in the UK's domestic fights. Terrorism is a bit different to me because the wrong response (or lack of the proper, justified response) to attacks by European nations will only serve to empower these animals to carry out attacks on American soil.

a reply to: burdman30ott6

As an American I find "run, hide, tell" to be a fairly chickensnip alternative to actually empowering your own citizens.

I believe he was talking about the school children, in case of an attack on a school.

Most people want to make the world a better place, and through such desire actually make it worse. Think on that one for a bit.

*this post is non-partisan*

LOL, I had a whole page written as a response but decided to replace with this:

You are all screwed if you constantly seek answers beyond the mirror.

Good luck....suckers.

So glad to be an expat living in a house with a large garden that costs less than a family car in the uk (but paid for).

originally posted by: SprocketUK
Nice work OP, don't agree with all of it but I appreciate what you did.


Tax.

Introduce a flat tax of 35%
This should make it easier for the IR to close up loopholes that the rich use to avoid paying their share, things like non dom status and so forth.

Abolish NI for all earnings below 100k per year.

Education.

Abolish the stupid restrictions imposed by local authorities on how schools source everything from stationary to building work. At the moment they have to buy from "approved" suppliers which means they get shoddy service and pay over the odds.

Abolish tuition fees for University courses.

Get rid of structured school holidays and allow students and staff to pick which 10 weeks they want each year.

Tax sounds good but still need tax allowances up to the national minimum income- in order to help ensure no one has to live in poverty

Healthcare

Tax bad foods, such as takeaway pizza, kebabs etc and use the money to subsidise fruit and veg.

basically what I said then?

Allow people to buy "Alzheimer's insurance" that can be used to help pay their care costs when older if they need to go in a home (At the moment, in addition to what the NHS pays, you can pay anywhere between 250 to 1200 quid a month to get someone in a decent care home).

this is something private health insurance could cover?

Policing/security

Change the law and set up detention camps for Islamic terror suspects, have a real, honest debate about whether or not to execute all those who are part of this problem.

I dont see people going for execution. (most of us are sensitive souls to a fault) respect your thoughts but personally dont agree... maybe
they should be exported automatically along with any 'associates' identified and in some cases family members too.

Give police the extra money they need to train up extra response teams in cities outside London.

agree

Democracy

Start moving towards a system whereby people vote on every issue using their smartphones or pc's rather than rely upon the 650 MPs, eventually, we will have direct democracy. Until then....



Lower the voting age to 16.

Make election fraud a mandatory 10 year prison sentence.


That'll do for now I think.

agree with all of the above qoute (with edits) however voting security 1 person one vote might be an issue with 'home' voting. I do think holding referendums on all big decisions would be a great idea and get the people used to the idea of voting when it comes to elections. maybe the 'peoples seats' qualify for upto half of the vote with the MPS etc carrying the other half.

Thanks for your input

originally posted by: 3daysgone
All it sounds well enough. I do disagree with this part.

While it seems these peoples roots are with Muslims it is clear these terrorists have become something that is not Muslim-they have 'mutated' into something diferent.

Mohamed, the one that started islam, was a killer and a pedophile among other things. Islam started out radicalized.

not a religious expert so maybes I got that the wrong way round and its the law abiding muslims that have evolved into a better muslim 2.0.

I disagree with many points, but agree with your passion, particularly the non-political nature of your politic. Politics is altogether too much of all sides sniping and pointscoring and too little actually getting anything done.

1.1 smacks of appeasement to me. Very few people actually blame all of a religion, to dissasociate the islamic terror from its one overarching theme does muslims and victims of islamic terror (often both one and the same) a disservice. The airheads who use it as an excuse to hate all of islam would find another excuse by teatime, and the lack or scrutiny is an invitation for trouble, as it is we already have issues of inaction due to fear of being branded xenophobic.

1.4 Doesnt sit well with me, as its common knowledge most peace officers here don't wish to be armed. If we are at the point where we need the bobby on the beat to be armed, we are at the point the populace should once more be allowed handguns for protection. I'd compromise that officers who wish to be armed or carry arms in a secure vehicle be able to do so, but many have a strong opinion and are still good officers, making it mandatory would lose valuable officers.


Kudos on trying to get your views out and down, harder than it seems.