So what would you change?
Discussion
An Empire covering 25% of the earth's surface and population, enforced by a navy so large that you could walk clean across the Solent at the Spithead Review without getting your feet wet, compulsory smoking for anyone over the age of 11, votes for men, and only men, and the National Health Service having a budget of thruppence ha'penny (did I mention the currency changes?)
That should keep some of the usual suspects happy.
That should keep some of the usual suspects happy.
cherryowen said:
richhead said:
If you had control, what would you change to make Britain great again?
I think you need to look at this from another angle i.e. what made Britain "Great" back in the day? Once you've established that, then you can start to decide what changes need to be made.Scrap net zero but focus on nuclear power stations
Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
Mr Penguin said:
Scrap net zero but focus on nuclear power stations
Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
An interesting mix of sensible/completely out to lunch.Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
Mr Penguin said:
Scrap net zero but focus on nuclear power stations
Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
Forced deportation to the US for people like you?Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
It will be interesting to see to what extent this thread is about the criticism of others' ideas, rather than your own.
For example, I would not be overjoyed about the loss of all workers rights, or gambling that a tiny slice of the education system that is generously funded by well off parents would "somehow" work everywhere (on the basis the vouchers could not possibly be more value than the
circa £5k pa or so each mainstream pupil gets spent on them via public system). The under 5 childcare system already shows the voucher face value simply isn't enough for nurseries to be viable for pvis without subsidy from.private payers (who have to pay an exaggerated amount to make up the gap).
Harking back to the "great" British Empire (so about 1917?) is also clearly ridiculous, and not even worth discussing any further.
What you probably be more productive is to see what our peer economies are doing better, and if that would translate well?
Shooting from the hip, our housing private rental sector is a shambles and the social sector was hobbled 30 years ago. But private house builders and property owners won't cook their golden goose without a fight.
From my wife's pov who is a teacher, some reset is needed with the social contract between parent(s) and state. For whatever reason, there seems an unwillingness to spell out hard truths, and there is never a consequence. Same as in health care i think. I'm not sure this was ever a 'decison" as such, and I don't want a social credit score surveillance system like China.
But it is creeping death for our economy I think, as an entire generation of poor employees is being foisted on the economy from kids who don't want to learn and parents who don't think it's their job to do anything about it.
I know the "thing" people are waiting for is immigration, but the UK started it by controlling vast areas of the globe. Like I say, we need to see what others successful peer economies do and use the bits we can.
I personally have no umbridge with immigration per se- there's plenty of feckless, lazy, scamming indigenous people in the UK who costs more as a group i would guess.
Watering down Net zero would probably get my support, but then we have seen many long term problems emerge from short term thinking. Surely safeguarding our climate is by definition key long term problem that requires long term thinking? Opinions vary I suppose.
For example, I would not be overjoyed about the loss of all workers rights, or gambling that a tiny slice of the education system that is generously funded by well off parents would "somehow" work everywhere (on the basis the vouchers could not possibly be more value than the
circa £5k pa or so each mainstream pupil gets spent on them via public system). The under 5 childcare system already shows the voucher face value simply isn't enough for nurseries to be viable for pvis without subsidy from.private payers (who have to pay an exaggerated amount to make up the gap).
Harking back to the "great" British Empire (so about 1917?) is also clearly ridiculous, and not even worth discussing any further.
What you probably be more productive is to see what our peer economies are doing better, and if that would translate well?
Shooting from the hip, our housing private rental sector is a shambles and the social sector was hobbled 30 years ago. But private house builders and property owners won't cook their golden goose without a fight.
From my wife's pov who is a teacher, some reset is needed with the social contract between parent(s) and state. For whatever reason, there seems an unwillingness to spell out hard truths, and there is never a consequence. Same as in health care i think. I'm not sure this was ever a 'decison" as such, and I don't want a social credit score surveillance system like China.
But it is creeping death for our economy I think, as an entire generation of poor employees is being foisted on the economy from kids who don't want to learn and parents who don't think it's their job to do anything about it.
I know the "thing" people are waiting for is immigration, but the UK started it by controlling vast areas of the globe. Like I say, we need to see what others successful peer economies do and use the bits we can.
I personally have no umbridge with immigration per se- there's plenty of feckless, lazy, scamming indigenous people in the UK who costs more as a group i would guess.
Watering down Net zero would probably get my support, but then we have seen many long term problems emerge from short term thinking. Surely safeguarding our climate is by definition key long term problem that requires long term thinking? Opinions vary I suppose.
AI algorithm to manage day to day events and balance the books, a monthly (non binding) referendum accessed from you phone for important decisions.
Sell the houses of parliament to Madam Tussauds, keep the monarchy.
Similar for local authorities.
Oh and use the savings to fund universal basic income.
Sell the houses of parliament to Madam Tussauds, keep the monarchy.
Similar for local authorities.
Oh and use the savings to fund universal basic income.
Mr Penguin said:
Scrap net zero but focus on nuclear power stations
Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
I might not agree with you but fair play for proposing solutions which makes a change from the usual moaning.Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
Mr Penguin said:
Scrap net zero but focus on nuclear power stations
Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
Some of that is sensible, you’ve fallen in the trap of including some less sensible things which may distract from the good!Corporation tax to 0%
Abolish min wage and unemployment benefit for U25s
NHS funded by an insurance model rather than wholly taxes
Allow employers to sack staff for almost any reason at any time
Flatten income tax, NI, CGT, inheritance tax etc to 0%
Introduce land value tax to pay for the tax cuts
No short prison sentences but a lot of manual labour
Do a deal with foreign countries to take their citizens who are prisoners here, it is much cheaper to keep an Albanian prisoner in Albania than the UK and we can split the difference and free up a place
Privatise all schools and give parents education vouchers so they can select the right school for their children rather than simply being allocated
Allow automatic planning permission to build apartment blocks rather than houses in cities, especially in walking distance to where the jobs are
Car tax to be removed, balanced by putting it on the fuel so tax is proportionate to actual pollution
Should be enough for the first budget. Need to save something for the more radical second one.
Ditch net zero
Invest in nuclear power (SMR's) to lower energy cost
Us AI to actively manage traffic flows/traffic lights, working with what we have now but targeting real time changes in future to ease congestion.
Accept immigrants (our demographics require them) on condition they will receive no state assistance initially (health, education etc), increasing to a total limited by their prior year NI contribution after 2 years. Remove the additional NI just implemented but add a 5% employer NI premium to those hiring non-nationals. No initial benefits/supoort but will have a path to citizenship after 10yrs if they have committed no crimes. No automatic right to citizenship for their children, until 10 years after 18th birthday with same rules as above. Any criminal conviction, they're out. Have citizen points (like a driving license), unpaid parking ticket, cycle through red light, drop litter are all point items - lose your points and you're out with no appeals. Massive fines/prison sentences for those employing illegals cash in hand.
Allow income taxes to be split fully across married/civil couples - mitigates cliff edges/entitlements
Allow full offsetting of childcare/school/private medical costs against taxes paid
Fines for missing GP/hospital appointments without good reason
Invest in nuclear power (SMR's) to lower energy cost
Us AI to actively manage traffic flows/traffic lights, working with what we have now but targeting real time changes in future to ease congestion.
Accept immigrants (our demographics require them) on condition they will receive no state assistance initially (health, education etc), increasing to a total limited by their prior year NI contribution after 2 years. Remove the additional NI just implemented but add a 5% employer NI premium to those hiring non-nationals. No initial benefits/supoort but will have a path to citizenship after 10yrs if they have committed no crimes. No automatic right to citizenship for their children, until 10 years after 18th birthday with same rules as above. Any criminal conviction, they're out. Have citizen points (like a driving license), unpaid parking ticket, cycle through red light, drop litter are all point items - lose your points and you're out with no appeals. Massive fines/prison sentences for those employing illegals cash in hand.
Allow income taxes to be split fully across married/civil couples - mitigates cliff edges/entitlements
Allow full offsetting of childcare/school/private medical costs against taxes paid
Fines for missing GP/hospital appointments without good reason
Ian Geary said:
Watering down Net zero would probably get my support, but then we have seen many long term problems emerge from short term thinking. Surely safeguarding our climate is by definition key long term problem that requires long term thinking? Opinions vary I suppose.
There are three major problems with net zero in its current form.1) It encourages offshoring because then we can't get the blame. Rather than saying if we buy steel from China we are at least partly responsible for how that steel is made we only look at activity here.
2) It applies equally to everyone rather than looking at how much they can reduce. An office can probably be quite close to net zero and possibly even negative but a steelworks cannot, however both have to reach the same goal. This is incredibly inefficient and leads to point 1.
3) It is implemented in a stupid way. Solar panels are very bad in Northern Europe because we have little sun in winter (shorter days and more cloud) while the demand for electricity is higher, so building solar panels means we need to build more production over the year but not use it during the summer and this adds cost to the system as a whole. Wind power broadly follows the annual consumption pattern so is a much better renewable energy source for us.
cherryowen said:
richhead said:
If you had control, what would you change to make Britain great again?
I think you need to look at this from another angle i.e. what made Britain "Great" back in the day? Once you've established that, then you can start to decide what changes need to be made.I think the biggest mistake we have been making in recent years is to look back rather than forwards. It seems to have become ingrained in our culture and the US is also doing it right now; even worse than the UK has.
Though perhaps I misunderstand and do actually agree because what made Britain great back then was perhaps to be forward looking and innovative and we should do that in whatever ways suits 2025, rather than 1825? So perhaps I've changed my mind.
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