A credible government
needs a credible opposition. Only by having someone who can say “No. You are
wrong, this is how we can do that better” can a government claim some
legitimacy. It means that someone is keeping an eye on them. It’s why
dictatorships, usually remove all opposition. If there’s no one to tell you you
are wrong, you can do what you like.
The problem is that in
this country our opposition is no longer credible. Labour and the Conservatives
long ago merged into one amorphous blob, each spouting off the same basic
ideas. Oh there will be some key differences, but I think most people would
agree that living under the coalition government doesn’t feel any different to
living under the Blair/Brown governments.
What is needed is new
ideas. Ideas that will, if put into place, change people’s lives for the better
and, perhaps, get people voting again. These are the six things I think need to
be considered by any future government.
1: Sort out the tax
system.
This is probably the
most important one. People are tired of those with the most money somehow
getting away with paying the least amount of tax, either through loopholes or
just an unfair tax system. This system needs to be completely rewritten, with all
the loopholes closed, and it needs to be made clear that those with the most
will pay their fair share.
2: NHS and Welfare
Our National Health
Service and Welfare State, used to be things we were proud of and things no
government would have dared touch. Free healthcare at point of entry and a
system that helps those who need it most. Now the NHS is being sold off for
profit and the welfare system is being stripped bare to pay for other things to
the detriment of those who use it. We need to go back to the vision of Attlee
and Bevan.
3: Local Government.
Local government is a
mess. Too many different systems, too far removed from the people who use it.
In fact I would be willing to bet most people can’t name their local
councillor. We need a new system in place, with proper accountability, and
useful devolved powers, so that local problems can be solved by local people,
freeing up Westminster for the big things.
4; Industry
We used to make things
and produce things and export things. Now everything occurs in cyberspace and
we just move money about from one account to another. We need to bring industry
– and in turn jobs – back to this country, so we can finally be proud of
something other than the Square Mile.
5: Education
Our education system
has simply become about fact retention, about learning exactly what you need to
pass the exam and nothing else. We need to change that. We need to go back to
learning for the sake of learning, and make sure that future generations leave
school with real marketable skills and a thirst for more knowledge.
6: More democracy
We need to hold more
referendums in this country. Not on everything, but on major issues. The
government needs to be able to trust people and rather than thinking they know
what’s best for us, ask us. Then act on what we tell them. That’s what
representative democracy is supposed to be about.
None of these things
will ever come to pass, of course. But if they did, we would finally have a
country we could be proud of.
No comments:
Post a Comment