Welcome to the politics 2014 discussion on gransnet: please add your thoughts

Hello, could you tell me how to/arrange to revert back to my previous user name now that the politics debate has finished??

I have just had a final read through all the postings on here and it is very interesting how 'unselfish' (if there is such a word) everyone is being. Nobody is demanding more of anything material or financial, and with few exceptions ( EU memberhsip for one) we all seem to be generally agreeing with each other, despite undoubtedly having different political views. As I grow older and wiser, and work harder and harder, there seems to be a few, very few points which occur again and again, whether it be discussing politics on a particluar forum like this, or even just sitting talking to my husband and teenage children over the dinner table.

These very few points are:

Everyone is getting more greedy, even to the point of risking killing people as long as it makes a profit ( example: the toxic alcohol masquerading as gin and vodka being sold in Indonesia, Thailand and likely here, counterfeit drugs, not just recreational style, but also pharmaceutical grade, baby milk in China, I could go on). I dont think that everything used to be wonderful and honest, but I do feel that worldwide crime and corruption is a growing menace, not just to security but to health.

The business of government is to govern with the will of the electorate, and that electorate, with few exceptions, wants everyone to pay their fair share of taxes. When you read in the papers about a woman selling her shareholding in Arsenal FC, and then moving her residency to Monaco to avoid paying capital gains tax, what is that telling us? What about the crook Bernie Ecclestone bribing his way out of bribery charges? It is like something out of a farce. These people are public figures and should be shunned and shamed. I run a small business, pay taxes, pay all that is due, and I expect the government, irrespective of their party, to do their bit by ensuring parity in taxation.

the party that promises to tax people with a British passport irrespective of where they live, will get my vote.

SuFlay, does that not already happen? We pay Vat on foods with sugar in them, and on fizzy drinks. Maybe not as much as we think we should, but that's a different point. I think it was last month that there was a lot of discussion about whether a certain cake was a cake or biscuit. If classified as a cake, which it was, the manufacturers would be able to claim back millions from HMRC that had been paid in Vat. Maybe there should be a sliding scale of Vat on added sugar foods.

dc should call a referendum now on EU, yes/no
and stop funding overseas aid, for countries that abuse this hand-out;
spend all this money on our nhs and transport services, rail, roads.

mine would be -

1. reduce immigration

2. stop Boris airport, put this money into manston air port

3. stop taxing pension under £2.000 a month income

having read all the above, I agree with many of them,
Nancy drew - yes referendum on EU now; and stop hs2 ,
also suflay; reverse privatisation of nhs,

What I'd also like to see is a serious commitment to tackle the poor health and obesity / diabetes problem by taxing fizzy drinks and sugar and by a cumulative tax on foodstuffs each time they have been modified / added to / processed or otherwise altered. In this way, all foods in their natural state would be much cheaper than those with what the manufactures call 'added value'. And this would necessarily lead a reduction in the consumption of sugar based empty calories. And thus a huge saving in the costs to the NHS.

Can you make sure that when the report is published it is given due prominence on GN please

Hopefully you will not need to sack IDS, Vinny. His constituents would do it for you. However, it would take a miracleworker to sort out the mess he's made of the DWP.

A) What advice would you give the main party leaders trying to secure your vote and win the next election?

I would need to hear (and believe) that they would help small businesses. Reduce corporation tax (providing it is reinvested into the business) for the smallest and scale it upwards for those who have larger turnovers. I would like to hear that the banks would lend to small businesses at favourable and fair rates enabling small businesses to grow and enourage employment. I want to hear that the taxation system would be fair for all and avoidance schemes would be closed down. I want to hear that they will look at imigration and and tackle extremism. I want a fair education for all children not just those from a priviledged background and I want all teachers to be good teachers (or hell don't teach, do something else). It' s a big ask.

A) What advice would you give the main party leaders trying to secure your vote and win the next election?

1) Well at the risk of repeating myself. I would like to see a genuine effort to help small businesses (we are always told that they are the backbone of the country well here's your chance to prove it). Force the banks to lend favourably and fairly.
2) Pull the plug on the high speed rail link which is ridiculous waste of my money and as usual only benefitting the South of England. There should be more effort put in to spread the wealth/jobs across the whole of the UK rather than concentrating it all in one area. This inturn should begin to balance out the house prices.
3) Good education for all children. All schools should have good, dedicated teachers. Stop these stupid fines for parents taking a child away on a weeks holiday with their family. Not all parents can have holiday during term time.

A) What advice would you give the main party leaders trying to secure your vote and win the next election?

To have a very clear manifesto especially with regard to the EU and immigration. I agree with others who have said that we need a more equal society, but doubt if governmental policies would achieve this, as to make it really work each case would have to be decided on it's own merit, rather than a one size fits all attitude. (take the bedroom tax as an example!) Any promises made must be achievable, all politicians can say what they know people want to hear with regard to increasing funding for the NHS, increasing state pensions etc, but it needs to be paid for so let them tell us how they will do it. They also need to do a bit more joined up thinking, yes we need more affordable housing, but don't put it in small towns/villages where employment prospects are low and where services such as transport, schools etc are either non-existent or already over stretched. They also need to think and act nationally before thinking and acting globally.

B) and finally if you were leader of a party or Prime Minister, what would be the top three things on your to-do list for tomorrow?

Put together a cabinet where the minister for whatever department it is actually knows something about it, preferably first hand i.e. have worked in the sector.

Overhaul both the tax and benefits systems to make them fairer to all. (Not an easy one, but it seems wrong that wealthy foreign nationals can live here and get all the benefits whilst making no tax contributions, and that people from some EU countries can come here expressly to get housing and claim benefit, while some people who have paid tax and NI all their lives receive little or nothing.)

And a silly one - restrict the use of the word "community", as in the international community, the gay community, the black community etc.etc.

A) What advice would you give the main party leaders trying to secure your vote and win the next election?

I would ask for a clear manifesto - not just false promises to secure a vote. I would like to know the party policy on the EU (in or out) ; the NHS; DWP. I want to know what their position would be should another coalition be necessary i.e how would it change their policy decisions and what exactly they would be prepared to compromise on. Cut the spin and be honest!

B) and finally if you were leader of a party or Prime Minister, what would be the top three things on your to-do list for tomorrow?

1. Sort out the NHS - top down, get rid of the Managers of managers, decision groups and pointless positions and employ more nurses, doctors and properly funded equipment.

2.I would sack IDS and sort out the diabolical mess that the benefits system is in. Stop hounding genuinely ill and disabled people; abolish the bedroom tax. Child benefit would only be for children who live with their families here - not going abroad.

3. I'd want to put a stop essential/strategic industry being sold to foreign firms - even if that meant re-nationalising them.

Actually Nanatofive - I want them to more than 'appear' to do their job...I want them to be damn good at it. I don't want to be represented by people that go into politics for the pleasure of hearing their own voice :-) ....

Im sure we have all experienced those people who knuckle down and do a job and those who just talk a fine talk....

Maybe what we need are a few Nana's in government :-)

A) What advice would you give the main party leaders trying to secure your vote and win the next election?

Say what you're going to do and do what you said you would. That would make things soooo simple. I wouldn't have to second guess who is lying through their teeth to get my vote !!

Keep a common touch....we don't all have second home, unlimited expenses ( both real and fraudulent apparently), we don't all have the privileges you have and we have issues. IF we speak ---then please listen. After all you are OUR voice.

B) and finally if you were leader of a party or Prime Minister, what would be the top three things on your to-do list for tomorrow?

I'd hold an EU referendum - and if we don't want to be in the EU as a people then get us out !!

I'd repeal the right for Head Teachers to 'fine' parents for taking their kids out of school during term time.

1. The travel world is ripping us off because of those rules.
2. Education is not all about classroom based learning. If you want your kids to be fit for the world then you need to let them experience the world .
3. Back off Nanny State - believe it or not many parents want the best for their kids and know what that looks like.

There's a few more :-) and I'd certainly support repealing the bedroom tax, evaluating the whole PIP debacle - stop putting pressure on disabled people and start properly supporting them, deal with immigration and benefit fraud and work out a way of making housing affordable to young people.

Oh yes...and stop policing my health !! I'm 57 years old - more than old enough to be able to work out what's good for me !

whew.... now I need a bacon sandwich LOL

So GeminaJen takes exception to my "appears honest etc" to the degree that it needs to be placed in capitals. The appears was not related to looks and I do not believe that I have mentioned the importance of looks in any of my efforts, although have mentioned Mr Millibands own comments.. My appears is related to speech and " gives the impression of being" ...honest.

I do not care what anyone looks like as long as they 'appear' able to do their job.

I agree with most of the views already expressed here.

My advice would be to stop patronising the electorate (i.e. by appointing a few women to Cabinet), have a clear manifesto, stop wasting money on projects like HS2, stop paying aid to countries such as India who are running their own space programme, make collecting fees from those not entitled to free NHS treatment a priority, (i.e. pay before you get treated, harsh I know but that's what already happens to British citizens in many other countries), sort out a long term education policy instead of changing and patching the existing one, and stop paying benefits to people who live outside the country. All this would probably need more than one term in office!!

If I was PM I would
1. Bring back Matrons to the NHS. Not these modern ones but the sort we used to have who governed the whole hospital and had the respect of consultants, nurses and patients.
2. Cancel HS2
3. Start looking at how to simplify and make the tax and benefit systems fairer to all.

My advice to main leaders of the parties would be to stop treating the electorate as if we are idiots, most of us listen to the news, read newspapers and have our opinions. Why not just admit you made a mistake instead of implying that we are all fools who misunderstood?

I would vote for the party who I believed would:

Make paying of taxes fairer, especially by companies. If a person ( such as Phillip Green and his ghastly wife) want the protection and flexibility of a British passport then they should be contributing to the economy. No pay no passport. There has to be the ability to ensure that companies who employ people and/or provide services in this country pay the taxes that all resident companies do, it is grossly unfair that small business owners have to pay corporation tax and such whilst large corporations that are able to employ tax accountants are able to legally avoid paying such taxes. Surely it cant be that difficult to close these huge loopholes? I would have respect for any potential government that not only stated this as their intent but also rubbished the usual claims that it will drive big business overseas, it doesnt and we know that.

cancel HS2 which is a folly project; I am yet to be convinced that knocking 20 minutes off a train journey will save the millions that are claimed. This huge amount of money should be invested in improving the current rail network, for example; in the commuter areas, money could be spent in lengthening platforms to enable longer trains with more carriages to run in the rush hour.

Emphasise the benefits of membership of Europe, emphasise the power of Europe as a buying and selling entity. There is too much airtime given to the anti Europe lobby and all the nonsense trotted out by them, why cant someone speak out honestly about the benefits of being in Europe? Movement of labour goes two ways, Europe is a big market, and is starting to show itself as a political power to be reckoned with. Why are people so anti Human Rights legislation?

I could go on, but I think that a complete overhaul of the taxation system whereby everyone individual or company, paid their share has to be the most important point for me. All leaders detail what they are going to spend money on, but nobody goes into detail about how they are going to get this money.

Further on B)...

By way of context....I hold the view that the Referendum on Scottish independence will change the way Britons are governed, whatever the result.
A Yes vote in Scotland would surely invigorate independence campaigners in Wales, Northern Ireland, Cornwall. It could be the catalyst for new debate about greater devolution for the English regions.
A No vote would also send its waves south.
Politicians are alive to the inevitability of change.
E.g. The Westminster Government is currently discussing the establishment after the 2015 General Election of a constitutional convention to create a devolution settlement for the whole of the British isles.

...So, top of my list would be to harness the upsurge of passionate, informed political discussion and debate that has been the hallmark of the past year and more in Scotland. Ordinary people have been engaging in the democratic process in a quite inspiring way.

..To give another example which is not specific to Scotland, I have felt encouraged and enthused by the successes of the 38 degrees group, especially the way in which politicians have had to sit up and take note.

...And, to end on a personal note...I switched off from politics when we went to war in Iraq. Like thousands of others, I felt that I had exhausted every avenue open to me in a democracy: I wrote to the PM, to my MP, my MSP, I signed petitions, I marched in Edinburgh, Glasgow, London...All to no avail. Current debates in Scotland, and 38 Degree successes, have helped restore my faith in the democratic process.

On both questions A and B, I endorse wholeheartedly the views expressed by SuFlay and Annaries....especially re. manifesto, fairer society, living wage, NHS, housebuilding and green/environmental issues.

Further on A)...
It has been notable in this forum that, while there has been fairly general agreement that policies should be favoured over personalities, some have chosen to make comments about leaders that are both gratuitously hurtful and personal....'smarmy', 'a drip', 'that weird man'. A future leader, according to them, should be 'pleasant', 'photogenic', 'personable to the eye', with 'attractive form and attire', 'speak to the electorate in a way that APPEARS (my emphasis) honest and achievable', etc.. A future leader, it seems, would be well advised to take advice from an image consultant, have any adenoid problems fixed and certainly never attend a ceremony at the Cenotaph wearing anything that could be misconstrued by the tabloid press as a donkey jacket!

Personally, I don't care what leaders look like. It's what they say and do that matters. Any advice I would give to a leader aspiring to be Prime
(or indeed First) Minister, would be to demonstrate the qualities of effective leadership needed in this day and age:
those of a skilled negotiator who commands respect and can take people with her/him;
leading by example;
communicating in an open and transparent way;
admitting mistakes;
bringing out the best in others;
handling controversial issues or crises calmly and confidently.
That individual would get my vote!

Nanatofive, I think the word "human" needs to be used as it reminds us to stop treating some people, e.g., the unemployed, immigrants, the homeless as if they are in some way subhuman. Unless, of course, you are going to combine human and animal rights, in which case I agree with you.

Clear manifestos that are economically viable. That address the concerns of the general population about immigration, tax, savings,and the NHS

1 stop penalising people who have worked and saved all their lives

1 get rid of the bedroom tax

3 sort out the NHS

Clear manifestos which are workable and affordable.
Hold the EU referendum now.

1 do more for childcare

2 stop the penalising of people who have struggled to save all their lives

3 find more money for the NHS by paying gps a reasonable not extortionate fee, cut out the management, 24 hour care from gps available again and finally bring back the matron in hospitals

A leader would get the consideration of my vote if.

a)Set out a manifesto in laymans terms no spinning it out of all proportion just everyday information that concern's the electorate please.have local Councils being responsible for the management of their own workforce,ie: refuse/highways /parks & gardens and not put the contracts out to tender & certainly not to foreign Companies it will save a massive amount of Council Tax.Make sure everyone has the means of a warm home without having to go cap inhand this is a basic human right for young and old.
B)
1) A complete over haul of DWP to make sure those entitled are receiving what they should be,all this information should be made fully available and not just for those who ask,and to really come down hard on those not entitled and make sure over claimed amounts are paid back and not just written off the Country must be loosing millions of pounds every year.To stop child benefit payments to families whose children are not resident in this Country again saving millions of pounds in a single year.
2)It is more than clear that HS2 is never going to make any difference in my lifetime or possibly in that of my DCs to stop it now before more money is wasted would be very near the top of my list.
3)More practical help in the way of 3/4 year apprentership's for youngsters enabling them to secure their chosen career not just a 12mth training programme that just touches the sides of of any chosen career,let them work alongside tradesmen and women who have done the jobs for years there are loads of youngsters out there who have not got high grades in exams who have been abandoned by the system but they have the ability to put practical skills into practice if there was a chance for them,after all these youngsters are the future of the Country.

Yes it's really not possible to restrict to three. It's interesting that so far we all have differing top three. I agree with all the suggestions given so far, especially SuFlay and her paragraph beneath 'Reverse to privatisation of the NHS'.
I would like to add a prompt repeal of the Human Rights Act and replace with a new Rights and Responsibility Act. ( I see no need for the use of the word Human)

I thought you wanted people who would change their minds. NancyDrew has said she would only ever vote conservative.
Suflay, I agree with just about everything you said. Didn't have space to say I would repeal the bedroom tax, but I would.

I would like the party leaders to write an honest manifesto, and not lie to the public as happened the last time. I want them to promise a more equal society. I want them to say what they are going to do about the tax system, to make sure that those people that earn money in this country pay their fair share of taxes. I want to know what they are going to do to stop this country being seen as a tax haven by foreign countries.
I want them to be honest about what they are going to do to save the NHS from privatisation.
I want them to tell us what they are going to do to make wages fairer, and to get rid of food banks.

If I were PM, I would start a house building program straight away, making all builders build affordable housing before they build houses for profit. No more land to be bought before all the land banked is used up.
I would make the minimum wage a living wage by law.
I would bring in a law that says no more bonuses to be paid until the living wage is instituted in all companies - and no weaselling out of it. No zero hours contracts to be used to get out of paying a living wage.
I would also sort out the NHS, by ensuring that GPs have time to work as GPs rather than managers. Stop all negotiating by CCGs with private companies, and make all profits from the NHS go back into the NHS, rather than be syphoned off by private companies.

Sorry, but three is not enough. I've got a much longer list.