How I would 'fix' the United Kingdom

[Hyve]

Last night I made a rather bold claim that if I was put into power, that within four years I would be able to turn around the United Kingdom (UK) from its current situation, and put us back on the path of prosperity, rather then austerity.

I've decided to lay down a few of my most basic concepts here, as I think it would be interesting to see the response from people, but of course I want to make a few points perfectly clear:

• I'm not a nationalist in the true sense. I feel there is little to be proud of anymore, and I feel that with international forces, markets and trading, that boundary limitations are a rather primitive system, but I don't wish to abolish them.
• My points are not racist, abusive, sexist or confrontational of anyone minority. My views are purely based on what I think would be best for the entire nation as a whole, in both the Short, Medium & Long Term. Where possible, I've stated my Short, Medium & Long Term views on certain areas.
• None of my views are perfect. The scenarios I'll use are based on responses I would predict, as such different opinions will result in different scenarios and different outcomes, so i'll do my best (If you wish) to answer responses from different outcomes.
• I'm not a Plan A kind of guy. I'll have Plan A through to Z. I'll change my stance, opinions and even beliefs based on the facts presented to me. If a policy of mine doesn't work, I wouldn't continue to enforce it through spite and staunch stupidity.

With those few points aside, lets get onto the basics:

Economy:

The Economy is the life-blood of our country. As an Island our natural resources are rather limited and niche, so we would need a strong import and export function, as well as being an attractive place for businesses to set up.

One of the first things I would do as Prime Minister is to visit all of our Creditors, Loan Providers, the International Monetary Fund & the World Bank and broker a deal that would see our interest rates lowered, and even frozen for the first four years of my term. This gap in repayments would give us time to enact several of our policies, and provide a series of reliefs for people in the U.K! It is important to note, that a lot of my policies and views are based on this action.

The second thing I would do is begin the process of totally restructuring the Taxation System. All Tax would now move to a V.A.T. system. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is an additional tax applied to certain products at the purchase. All Tax would be paid here, and no longer would the Government take their Tax cut directly from your Wage.

If you're earning £45,000 a year, under the new system you would take home every penny (Minus a few contributions perhaps, such as National Insurance), meaning you have more money to spend in your local community. The new tax system would also be a flat figure (Around 20%) meaning that overall the amount of tax people pay is drastically lower then what they do today.

The two combinations of more money from work, and lower tax would give people more money to spend in local businesses and communities. Due to increased spending on the market, businesses and people begin to regain confidence in the system, and many can start to hire more workers, reducing the amount of people on Job Seekers.

We would then also be able to cut down the amount of people working for HMRC as we would no longer need to monitor the taxes of individuals, but purely the income that businesses amount. We could also implement a law requiring all businesses to register, for a small fee of £120 generating a small contribution into the Treasury.

The Government would receive a smaller contribution (only marginally) from Taxes, but because of confidence in the market would grow, our credit rating would be restored to AAA allowing us to make even smaller repayments on any nation that refused to give us a interest freeze or suspension.

Welfare, International Aid & Support:

The current welfare system has bred entire generations of people who feel it is okay to scrounge off of the system, and do nothing for the money. This would change with a radical redesign of the Job Seekers System.

There would be a two-tiered system. People would be able to claim Job Seekers just as they do now, turn up once a fortnight, present their job search and receive a deposit in their bank account three days later. The current payment is £52 a week(or around about), but under the new system, the payment would be £40 a fortnight.

Alternatively, people could sign onto Job Seekers Plus, a new system that allows people to earn £70 a week (£140 a fortnight) but they're required to work in their local community for 4 days a week. This would mean them painting fences, cleaning streets, clearing gum of the sidewalk, repainting road layouts, and other tasks that would improve the country, and the visual appeal.

No more cracked walls, messy streets or unruly fields of mud, mess and trash.

International Aid would not longer be safeguarded at 0.7% of our GDP which it currently is under the conservatives. We would cut all international aid to 0.0% and retain the 0.7% to fund better health programs, education and support for the sick and elderly.

We would increase the funding (from the savings above) to those with mental disabilities, or other sicknesses. Day Centres where people with these issues would be re-opened, that allow them to attend a place once a week where they can meet with people, talk about their issues, get directed to the right support system and even (if needed) be given a small amount of supplies to get them through the week.

Immigration:

Immigration is an important part of the community. The UK has been largely successful when we were tolerant of other cultures, but today the immigration system is to lenient.

We'd close the borders to all immigrants immediately, including those traveling within the European Block. As a country our finances are stretched already with the people we have here now, and adding more into the country only makes it worse.

Immigrants would also be ineligible to receive Job Seekers or any other form of Welfare for 15 years after gaining their citizenship. Anyone who is an illegal immigrant would be deported immediately, despite their 'Human Rights' along with anyone found harbouring Illegal Immigrants.

We'd operate a system that allows more students from abroad to come into the U.K. at fairer prices on conditions that they work within the UK for several years in local areas of expertise, i.e.: Those training to be Doctors would need to work within the NHS for 4 years before being allowed to complete their qualification in full.

Alternatively, people would be allowed to emigrate to the UK as long as they had the funds to live for five years immediately available to them, or their skills are in demand within the UK, very similar to how Australia operates.

These are but a few controversial, yet vital changes I would make. There are of course thousands of other changes, such as scrapping the entire MP Expense System, docking mass pay for MPs, securing our Infrastructure and enforcing better pricing on Public Transport with more investment or face compulsory purchases.

I'd love to know what some of you think about a few of these ideas, and feel free to ask any questions!

[Deleted]

I would simply copy the Scandinavian countries, they are the only ones not in the shit.

[Vakna]

Run for office, I will vote for you.

[Hyve]

I would simply copy the Scandinavian countries, they are the only ones not in the shit.

They're still suffering from international situations, but they've certainly handled it much better then we have! Overall, I would try to emulate a lot of the scandinavian success, but make a few tweaks to avoid the issues they now face.

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 01:23 PM ----------

Run for office, I will vote for you.

Well, that is all I needed! I'll see you at the next Generation Election my friend!

Which, reminds me. I would implement a new voting system: Proportional Representation. You can Google it to find out more, but basically the percentage value of the vote earns the percentage value of the seats. If 10% of the people vote Liberal Democrat, then 10% of the seats on Parliament go to them!

[Elim Garak]

You will fail. Because you believe that you can do it in 4 years.

[Deleted]

"Immigrants would also be ineligible to receive Job Seekers or any other form of Welfare for 15 years after gaining their citizenship. Anyone who is an illegal immigrant would be deported immediately, despite their 'Human Rights' along with anyone found harbouring Illegal Immigrants."

This is what I take issue with, if they have become legal citizens why can they not be entitled to what everyone has can get? Even the hardest working people can get ill and lose their job, or suffer an accident.

[moremana]

Id vote fot you. Hell, run for president in the US, I would damn sure vote for you

[Hyve]

You will fail. Because you believe that you can do it in 4 years.

Care to explain why that is not possible in four years?

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 01:29 PM ----------

"Immigrants would also be ineligible to receive Job Seekers or any other form of Welfare for 15 years after gaining their citizenship. Anyone who is an illegal immigrant would be deported immediately, despite their 'Human Rights' along with anyone found harbouring Illegal Immigrants."

This is what I take issue with, if they have become legal citizens why can they not be entitled to what everyone has can get? Even the hardest working people can get ill and lose their job, or suffer an accident.

It is a hard decision to make, but we need to devalue the whole idea of moving to the U.K. just to claim Job Seekers or other benefits. Perhaps it isn't the best way to handle it, but as I stated I would be open to alternative ways of making it less appealing. Perhaps 15 Years is to extreme, whereas 4 years might not be so much?

[Deleted]

Care to explain why that is not possible in four years?

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 01:29 PM ----------



It is a hard decision to make, but we need to devalue the whole idea of moving to the U.K. just to claim Job Seekers or other benefits. Perhaps it isn't the best way to handle it, but as I stated I would be open to alternative ways of making it less appealing. Perhaps 15 Years is to extreme, whereas 4 years might not be so much?

People can still get ill at anytime, if they are legal citizens then they should be protected by the same systems as the people born here. The ones you should be going after are the illegals, not people that did it legitimately.

[Elim Garak]

Care to explain why that is not possible in four years?

Even dictators can not do it in 4 years.

Your major problem will be - inertion.
Plus your political opponents will be putting sticks in your wheels. And you can not just kill them.

[Sevyvia]

I would simply copy the Scandinavian countries, they are the only ones not in the shit.

You obviously don't live in a Scandinavian country.

[Hyve]

Even dictators can not do it in 4 years.

Your major problem will be - inertion.
Plus your political opponents will be putting sticks in your wheels. And you can not just kill them.

Then I would be making it clear that it is not my party, but the ignorance and deliberate attempts of the other parties to sabotage our plans to restore power and credibility to the U.K. I would also make it clear to all how Labour had screwed over the country, revealing all the memos, facts and proof that what happened to the U.K. was a purposeful attempt to retain power by Brown, Blair, Balls and the rest of them.

I would hold them personally accountable, and have them sentenced for High Treason against the Crown.

[Deleted]

Even dictators can not do it in 4 years.

Your major problem will be - inertion.
Plus your political opponents will be putting sticks in your wheels. And you can not just kill them.

Yeah, you only need to look at the house of commons, they will try and trip you up purely because you are the opposition. Transition will be slow, much lower than 4 years I think, maybe you can get it moving in 4 years, but to claim you would fix it entirely would make you just as much a liar as current politicians.

[Elim Garak]

You obviously don't live in a Scandinavian country.

Even in the perfect country - there be dissidents.

[Deleted]

Well thought out post, the one main issue I have is your stance on Job Seekers, people need that safety net.

I believe if you where successful in making our immigration policy more like Australia there wouldn't be a need for that kind of action.

But can we increase border control while we are in the EU?

[Deleted]

Then I would be making it clear that it is not my party, but the ignorance and deliberate attempts of the other parties to sabotage our plans to restore power and credibility to the U.K. I would also make it clear to all how Labour had screwed over the country, revealing all the memos, facts and proof that what happened to the U.K. was a purposeful attempt to retain power by Brown, Blair, Balls and the rest of them.

I would hold them personally accountable, and have them sentenced for High Treason against the Crown.

I sense a new JFK in the making here......

[Hyve]

You obviously don't live in a Scandinavian country.

Indeed. I've many friends and peers in Scandinavian countries who talk of tough economic times ahead, and serious immigration problems.

People can still get ill at anytime, if they are legal citizens then they should be protected by the same systems as the people born here. The ones you should be going after are the illegals, not people that did it legitimately.

They would still be eligible to care, support and assistance. I would just like to add a common sense element that makes it clear, that you're not welcome in the U.K. and you will be deported if you're here just to drain from the system.

[Elim Garak]

Then I would be making it clear that it is not my party, but the ignorance and deliberate attempts of the other parties to sabotage our plans to restore power and credibility to the U.K.

And everyone will say - that you are a pussy who blames everyone else for his own failures.
Don't you know how politics work?

[Deleted]

Indeed. I've many friends and peers in Scandinavian countries who talk of tough economic times ahead, and serious immigration problems.



They would still be eligible to care, support and assistance. I would just like to add a common sense element that makes it clear, that you're not welcome in the U.K. and you will be deported if you're here just to drain from the system.

What should we do with the entire generation of idiots draining the system?

[Hyve]

Well thought out post, the one main issue I have is your stance on Job Seekers, people need that safety net.

I believe if you where successful in making our immigration policy more like Australia there wouldn't be a need for that kind of action.

Both systems wouldn't come in immediately, because they take time. The Job Seekers change is there to encourage a working ethos, to re-establish a mindset in the long-term unemployed that they're not free to sit around and do nothing and claim money.

But can we increase border control while we are in the EU?

Under EU Regulation, it wouldn't be allowed, but I would revoke the enforcement of that in the U.K. We can't have other nations deciding our border policies at the cost of our country returning to greatness. We would do deals with other nations within the EU, to inform them of our plans, and that we're looking to return to prosperity and then provide aid to those countries, should they boycott any attempt to sanction our move.

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 01:39 PM ----------

What should we do with the entire generation of idiots draining the system?

Deportation of any immigrant claiming Job Seekers without intentions to work, enforcement of the Job Seekers Plus system would also mean people who want to get enough cash, would be forced to work in their local community, cutting grass, hedges, picking up trash, cleaning the roads, and other duties that would clear up our messy country.

If people just want to sit around doing nothing, they can, for £20 a week is all they'll get.

---------- Post added 2013-03-25 at 01:41 PM ----------

And everyone will say - that you are a pussy who blames everyone else for his own failures.
Don't you know how politics work?

I clearly know how politics works, and I wouldn't be blaming anyone. I would be stating facts, letting the people know that it is their beloved alternative parties who are holding back this nation, and we would take steps to enforce legislation without their support.

We're not about to allow the other parties to mess up (what in theory is) our only chance to secure the stability of our nation. A mild form of Dictatorship if you will, but we need strong leadership for the best of our nation, not the support of a few school kids who have no clue.