muggle Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 If you were Prime Minister for a day What would you do? There is a lot of criticism here of how things are run. But what (if anything) would you have done differently? The big ones... The Economy – Left in tatters due to Brown’s scorched-Earth policies. NHS – Largely screwed due to Brown’s PFI legacy. Crime & Punishment – It would appear that the Police come down hard on easy to solve petty crimes whilst bankers got off scot-free even after the heist of the century. Taxes – All up, hard-work is taxed at a higher rate than unearned income (capital gains). Social Protection – Record spending on Housing benefit, nearly all of which goes to private landlords! Defence – Britain now fighting three wars! Spending has been cut to the bone, our armed forces now stretched to the limit. Education – No attempt made to right the wrongs of the previous administration, kids running riot – literally! Europe – EU laws seem to have infiltrated every facet of our lives (how about a referendum?) Immigration – There is now talk of an amnesty because we have no idea of how many, or where the hundreds of thousands of recent immigrants even are! Housing – Lowest number of new homes built ever, despite millions on local authority housing waiting lists. So, how would YOU solve this mess?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leicestersq Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Shoot everyone that wanted to be prime minister tomorrow. Except me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Shoot everyone that wanted to be prime minister tomorrow. Except me. Some sort of noble gesture involving a centuries old plot to blow up the HoP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBingo Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 In theory I would rush through legislation limiting spending to what was actually raised, and change the taxation system over to purely a 20% flat tax and regional sales tax etc, but in reality there would be so little that could be achieved in 1 day, because the cabinet is relies on a statist civil service to actually implement anything, and as the Tories are discovering, they just sit on anything they don't like. Further they require primary legislation to do other grandiose thing like I was talking about above, but again, impossible to pass a bill in one day through parliament. So I would struggle. About the only thing I could do that would have any useful impact in one day, and in the hope it would not be overturned the next is declare independence from Europe, fire massive amounts of public sector staff, and have the army evacuate and destroy all BBC buildings. Now if you were to ask me if I could become head of state with full executive powers for a decade how would I change Britain..... well... I would need to write you a novel on that, I've already given it a lot of thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57percent Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I'd ban umbrellas and whistling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Einstein71 Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I would immediately stop all welfare. I would make the NHS private I would double fuel duty on cars, invest everything into the rail network. I would make prisons hideous places, 3 strikes policy, no matter what it is you have done you get life imprisonment. I would half the public sector over 24 months. Improve broadband infrastructure so that everywhere had at least 20MB Have "New Media Technologies and Business" as a course that starts at 11yrs old and aims to make the UK the leading light in ecommerce and innovative new media projects. I would expand Public Schools and Universities to accomodate thousands of overseas pupils from China, Russia and India. Education would be a new Super Industry in the UK, it would be our main export to the emerging markets. I would allow open borders (With no welfare state or free health I wonder how many people would want to come here ? Those that did would be doing so for the right reasons) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nationalist Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 One day isn't enough time to do anything, so I'd just read the top secret UFO files and leave it at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SarahBell Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Have "New Media Technologies and Business" as a course that starts at 11yrs old and aims to make the UK the leading light in ecommerce and innovative new media projects. I would expand Public Schools and Universities to accomodate thousands of overseas pupils from China, Russia and India. Education would be a new Super Industry in the UK, it would be our main export to the emerging markets. I would allow open borders (With no welfare state or free health I wonder how many people would want to come here ? Those that did would be doing so for the right reasons) Your first thing would be eclipsed by the second. And you can't do that until you can prove who is currently entitled. I'd ban translation services for benefits for a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crouch Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Take the day off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gone baby gone Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 You did ask: The Economy – Zero tax on earnings. New land tax and ramp up capital gains + VAT. Ultra low corporation tax (fixed for 10 years) for any new manufacturing company. Corp tax discounts for existing companies based on the number of UK employees they have. Employees and shareholders to have annual vote on executive pay. NHS – New savings account that is designed for people to save for their future ill health in old age. Offset 3 to 5 times what is in the account against the cost of care before dipping into their other savings / assets. Immediate re-negotiation of GP's contract. Crime & Punishment – Go after the bankers, retrospectively. Taxes – See The Economy above. Social Protection – Citizen's income. Increase access to social housing (see Housing). Defence – Start talks with other European leaders about a shared defence force. Withdraw from Afghanistan & Iraq overnight, limit time spent in/supporting Libya to another 4 months. Education – Kids not allowed to leave school until basic literacy and numeracy has been achieved. As they approach 16, other subjects dropped in order to achieve this. Kids retained in school until 18 and if still not achieving desired levels, must attend adult education college if in receipt of any benefits. Europe - Investigation into EU accounts started, date set for referendum on EU membership, or retreat to "Common market / EEA" levels of integration. Immigration – Continue to allow inter-EU migration (until results of referendum), extra-EU immigration limited to 4 digit number. Housing – Embark on a new programme to build social housing. Proviso in contracts stating neither land nor houses must ever be sold on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 One day isn't enough time to do anything... One could have fun with the Nuclear button! Stick a pin in an atlas... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caveat Mortgagor Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 If you were Prime Minister for a day What would you do? There is a lot of criticism here of how things are run. But what (if anything) would you have done differently? The big ones... The Economy – I dont know the answer NHS – erm!. Crime & Punishment – Bring back hanging....... No, I mean bring back the cane in schools! OK, both. Taxes – Need to think about this Social Protection – Hmmmmm Defence – Tough one! Education –As I said earlier, bring back the cane! Europe – Ok for a holiday, not sure about anything more than that. Immigration – Is an issue Housing – Is it really such a big issue? So, how would YOU solve this mess?! Edit: OP....You forgot the biggest issue for the Prime Minister Sam Cam Would definitely get the best 10 seconds she's ever had! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgefunded Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Withdraw from the EU Kick out all the foreigners. Make homosexuality illegal again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBingo Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 OK, but taking the thread as you intended it to be: (but I would need more than a day) The Economy – Balanced budget requirement, flat taxes+regional sales taxes, most spending decisions moved to elected regional chiefs NHS – Would privatise the NHS as it is today entirely to lots of small operators, Government would provide a basic healthcare account to all that meant government may well pay, but not provide the service (just as they do with feeding people, they pay benefits and Tesco does the providing), people could easily top up their healthcare account if they wanted, or use it to buy insurance. Crime & Punishment – build a lot more jails (my only spending increase) and make Judges locally elected, if they fail to punish correctly, they get voted out. Taxes – national flat tax, most would be raised by a regional sales tax, perhaps at the county level. Each country would have its own council which would be significantly more powerful than they are today, abolish town and district councils. Social Protection – Would be funded locally and spent locally by the county council, they could provide social protection however they wish, and would be free to experiment how. Defence – Largely unchanged, and indeed, would be more willing to provide peacekeepers to areas of slaughter and genocide. I would not walk on by if I saw a man woman or child being beat to death by a bully across the road from me in my own town, so if I was in charge I would not leave thousands of people to get macheted to death in another country when the least I could do is drop a tomahawk on the head of the ******* doing it. Education – Make all schools free schools, provide a certain budget per child, let the parnet decide which school gets it, again, as above with the NHS I believe that the government may pay for a thing, but not try and provide a thing. Europe – leave EU join EFTA Immigration – Since I would be radically changing the provision of benefits fairly relaxed about immigration, but may charge an upfront fee, in the region of £10k and maybe £4k annually. If people want to come and pay the fee as well and tax from working here, cool, help yourself. If you pay taxes for 5 years I would let them take citizenship. Housing – again, hand full control to the local county council who can provide locally however they see fit and they would be accountable locally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matroskin Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I'll take a stab If you were Prime Minister for a day What would you do? There is a lot of criticism here of how things are run. But what (if anything) would you have done differently? The big ones... The Economy – Left in tatters due to Brown’s scorched-Earth policies. Give people something so they could sustain themselves, and dramatically lower taxes. See below. NHS – Largely screwed due to Brown’s PFI legacy. Bankrupt the NHS so PFI rent seekers can go screw themselves. Create new UK Health Service, with small excess payable out of pocket (a la Canada) so people don't phone ambulance for a free ride home. Crime & Punishment – It would appear that the Police come down hard on easy to solve petty crimes whilst bankers got off scot-free even after the heist of the century. Bankrupt the ACPO, dissolve police and create sheriff offices instead. Taxes – All up, hard-work is taxed at a higher rate than unearned income (capital gains). Universal 9% tax on everything, no exemptions. Includes VAT and sale of primary residence (to stump out prop flippers) etc. Social Protection – Record spending on Housing benefit, nearly all of which goes to private landlords! See below Defence – Britain now fighting three wars! Spending has been cut to the bone, our armed forces now stretched to the limit. Bring troops home. Adopt "nuclear response to non-nuclear attack/immediate threat", same as Russia. Education – No attempt made to right the wrongs of the previous administration, kids running riot – literally! No education subsidy in any form. Parents are made responsible for acts of their children. Europe – EU laws seem to have infiltrated every facet of our lives (how about a referendum?) Use Human rites legislation to vet EU regulations before they are recognised in the UK. Any EU law/regulation impending the rites of any UK citizen is automatically null and void in the UK. Immigration – There is now talk of an amnesty because we have no idea of how many, or where the hundreds of thousands of recent immigrants even are! For EU immigrants seeking dole, bring proof you paid social security at home. For non-EU immigrants seeking asylum/dole - bring proof you were discriminated against at home. No proof- go back home, the airline which brought you in pays expenses. Housing – Lowest number of new homes built ever, despite millions on local authority housing waiting lists. Easiest of all With immediate effect, auction all govt owned land with free planning permission granted for self-build. Landbankers need not apply, only available to individuals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichB Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 If you were Prime Minister for a day What would you do? Engineer a terrorist atrocity, vote myself Emperor for Life and dissolve parliament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
200p Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Feather my own nest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmarks Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Hire a biographer and arrange an after dinner speaking tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PopGun Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Redistribute back the wealth, labour and enterprise back to all over the UK away from London. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuffy Chuffnell Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Defence – Britain now fighting three wars! Two. Afghanistan and Libya. We haven't been involved in Iraq for years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 Two. Afghanistan and Libya. We haven't been involved in Iraq for years. I stand corrected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muggle Posted September 23, 2011 Author Share Posted September 23, 2011 Having thought about it... The Economy – Do nothing, d1cking about is making things worse! NHS – Tear up PFI promises and conduct a serious audit into amount of waste and bureaucracy. Crime & Punishment – Drug use could be legalized to free up police time for more serious crime. Taxes & Social Protection – Introduce citizens’ income paid for by new land tax. Defense – Withdraw from foreign lands, forces only used for defense rather than stealing resources. Education – No one should leave without achieving a decent standard of literacy and numeracy. Europe – Hold a referendum. Immigration – Limit numbers, any additional immigration to be based on a points system. Housing – Build more! Anyone currently living in the countryside who opposes ANY form of construction has their house demolished and the site returned to its natural site! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PopGun Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 NHS – Tear up PFI promises and conduct a serious audit into amount of waste and bureaucracy. Lets hit bureaucracy with..more bureaucracy. That will show them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpewLabour Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 I'd annex the Sudetenland, and burn down the Reichstag. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goat Posted September 23, 2011 Share Posted September 23, 2011 Abolish the BBC. Award myself an enormous pension. Kirsty, Phil etc: this really isn't going to be your day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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