Running as an Independant; your manifesto?
Running as an Independant; your manifesto?
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Martial Arts Man

Original Poster:

6,703 posts

216 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Politics is certainly at a historic low.

As golden opportunities go, this is up there with the best for anyone thinking of standing for Parliament as an independant.

So I put it to you, PH, how would your manifesto and campaign be organised?

What would you do?

Merc fan

963 posts

213 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
>A much lesser focus on the blasted climate

>A general (but brutal) tidying up of polictics

And a focus on things that really matter to people like :-

>The NHS - see my thread in Health Matters about institutional lethargy. The NHS needs more ballbreaker Matrons who have real authority to get things done. The NHS employs too many people who, institutaionally (i.e. not all their own individual fault), are inefficient and lazy. There are savings to be made in the NHS, I am sure.

>Law and order. More bobbies on patrol with legislature and the law behind them not used against them - chavs have far too many rights. A total removal of speed cameras countrywide now there would be more bobbies patrolling.

> Complete pull out of Afghanistan and put serious political pressure on our "Allies" to do more; we've done our bit.

> Immigration. If you come here to practice hate or you don't integrate then you go. We are British and have an identity as such. If you don't speak English then you pay for translation, not the taxpayer.

> Education. It's totally weird that you can't get into the school of your choice.

This is just a start.

Edited by Merc fan on Saturday 9th May 11:32

10 Pence Short

32,880 posts

247 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Outlaw socialism. Ban Scottish MPs from voting on English matters. Invade France.

Martial Arts Man

Original Poster:

6,703 posts

216 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Oh my god.....I've spelled independent with an a, twice.

Forgive me PH, for I have sinnned.

Eric Mc

125,716 posts

295 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
First point on my manisfesto - improve the nations's spelling and grammar.
Second pont - INCTREASE Income Taxes BUT abolish completely National Insurance Contributions
Third - reduce VAT dramatically
Fourt - abolish Tax Credits and replace with a simpler system

V8mate

45,899 posts

219 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
First point on my manisfesto - improve the nations's spelling and grammar.
Second pont - INCTREASE Income Taxes BUT abolish completely National Insurance Contributions
Third - reduce VAT dramatically
Fourt - abolish Tax Credits and replace with a simpler system
Tell me that the four spelling mistakes were deliberate!

10 Pence Short

32,880 posts

247 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
First point on my manisfesto - improve the nations's spelling and grammar.
Second pont - INCTREASE Income Taxes BUT abolish completely National Insurance Contributions
Third - reduce VAT dramatically
Fourt - abolish Tax Credits and replace with a simpler system
What would be your thoughts on a 'flat' tax system?

daveenty

2,385 posts

240 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
First point on my manisfesto - improve the nations's spelling and grammar.
Second pont - INCTREASE Income Taxes BUT abolish completely National Insurance Contributions
Third - reduce VAT dramatically
Fourt - abolish Tax Credits and replace with a simpler system
Sorry Eric, couldn't resist smile

Also had to quote it purely for the irony wink

Fittster

20,120 posts

243 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Rather than just changing MPs it's the system that needs to change. Let's knick this concept from the Swiss

"Switzerland features a system of government not seen at the national level on any other place on Earth: direct democracy, sometimes called half-direct democracy (this may be arguable, as, theoretically, one could state that the people have full power over the law). Referendums on the most important laws have been used since the 1848 constitution.

Any citizen may challenge a law that has been passed by parliament. If that person is able to gather 50,000 signatures against the law within 100 days, a national vote has to be scheduled where voters decide by a simple majority whether to accept or reject the law.

Also, any citizen may seek a decision on an amendment they want to make to the constitution. For such an amendment initiative to be organised, the signatures of 100,000 voters must be collected within 18 months. Such a popular initiative may be formulated as a general proposal or - much more often - be put forward as a precise new text whose wording can no longer be changed by parliament and the government. After a successful vote gathering, the federal council may create a counterproposal to the proposed amendment and put it to vote on the same day. Such counterproposals are usually a compromise between the status quo and the wording of the initiative. Voters will again decide in a national vote whether to accept the initiative amendment, the counterproposal put forward by the government or both. If both are accepted, one has to additionally signal a preference. Initiatives have to be accepted by a double majority of both the popular votes and a majority of the cantons."


thinfourth2

32,414 posts

234 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Well as an independent i would have the following manifesto

1) I will be honest with those that have voted for me
2) My prime reason for wanting to be an MP is i want the job and the perks anything else is entirely consequential
3) I will try me best to push local issues as i am a lowly MP i have no influence on party politics so can change nothing on a national level
4) All professional football players must wear tutus to stop them taking it so bloody seriously

Martial Arts Man

Original Poster:

6,703 posts

216 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
thinfourth2 said:
Well as an independent i would have the following manifesto

1) I will be honest with those that have voted for me
2) My prime reason for wanting to be an MP is i want the job and the perks anything else is entirely consequential
3) I will try me best to push local issues as i am a lowly MP i have no influence on party politics so can change nothing on a national level
That's more like it.

The problem is, like you say, that an indy can only really campaign on local issues.

Does a local MP really have any say over local stuff though? Would one indy have any influence over a local council? I don't know the answer really.

Democracy, British style, isn't really as it seems huh?

Eric Mc

125,716 posts

295 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
daveenty said:
Eric Mc said:
First point on my manisfesto - improve the nations's spelling and grammar.
Second pont - INCTREASE Income Taxes BUT abolish completely National Insurance Contributions
Third - reduce VAT dramatically
Fourt - abolish Tax Credits and replace with a simpler system
Sorry Eric, couldn't resist smile

Also had to quote it purely for the irony wink
Fifth - improve the nation's typing skills.

thinfourth2

32,414 posts

234 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Martial Arts Man said:
thinfourth2 said:
Well as an independent i would have the following manifesto

1) I will be honest with those that have voted for me
2) My prime reason for wanting to be an MP is i want the job and the perks anything else is entirely consequential
3) I will try me best to push local issues as i am a lowly MP i have no influence on party politics so can change nothing on a national level
That's more like it.

The problem is, like you say, that an indy can only really campaign on local issues.

Does a local MP really have any say over local stuff though? Would one indy have any influence over a local council? I don't know the answer really.

Democracy, British style, isn't really as it seems huh?
However how much more influence does a backbencher MP have in opposition no matter what party they sit in?

I would say an independent is MORE likely to vote as per the wishes of his local supporters as he has no party line to pull

Jasandjules

72,611 posts

259 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
1. Death sentence comes back (there may be interesting ways of killing someone for particular crimes).
2. Reduce general taxation, and be more honest and open about taxation.
3. Slim the Private Sector by reducing Quangos and Middle Management type people from all aspects of the civil service.
4. Burglars, Rapists and Murders get automatic 3 years minimum sentences, and they get flogged once a week in jail. Community service performed by people in pink jumpsuits, and it is rigidly enforced. Anyone who fails to turn up get 20 lashes, for the 1st offence. 2nd time they fail to turn up it's 30 lashes and the third time it's 50 lashes.
5. Remove speed cameras, bring back trafpol and get town and road planners to start working on reducing accidents.
6. Make people responsible for their actions. Punishment, not excuses.
7. Give Teachers full authority. Give headmasters full authority to remove children. If they are rejected from three schools, then the parents pay for the education which is done privately (by deductions from benefits if necessary). Children who attack other children/teachers get 10 lashes in front of the whole school.
8. Remove UK from EU, we can trade, but would not be bound by legislation made in the EU.
9. Put people with common sense in the judiciary
10. Remove tuition fees, and University is open to those who are capable, that is the fundamental requirement.

I'll move on to my more right wing policies later.

Davel

8,982 posts

288 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Halve the number of MPs and their hangers on.

Save a bleedin fortune...

Merc fan

963 posts

213 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
One I forgot : increase the retirement age for civil servants and remove their final salary / special pensions. If the govt is buggering my pension then they can bugger the people that work for them too.

Traveller

4,277 posts

247 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Fittster said:
Rather than just changing MPs it's the system that needs to change. Let's knick this concept from the Swiss
You have my vote... true democracy in the Athenian sense, not the farce that as evolved into simple placation for the great unwashed Plebeians, the Colosseum without the excitement. The joke is the UK lecture China about democracy and yet the house of lords, the "upper house" is still not a democratically elected gathering, having such esteemed "institutions" as hereditary peers.

Politicians have forgotten they are public servants, they serve us. The power rest with the people not our called representatives. Perhaps another Cromwell is needed, to clean this pigs trough we have in Westminster.....

Edited by Traveller on Saturday 9th May 21:44

Traveller

4,277 posts

247 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
double post....

Edited by Traveller on Saturday 9th May 21:37

anonymous-user

84 months

Saturday 9th May 2009
quotequote all
Davel said:
Halve the number of MPs and their hangers on.

Save a bleedin fortune...
We have far too many MP's and Peers. We have 646 MP's and 726 Peers.

In the USA they have 435 congressmen and 100 senators for 5 times the population!

fluffnik

20,156 posts

257 months

Sunday 10th May 2009
quotequote all
Straight up libertarian/syndicalist platform:
  • Legalise and tax all recreational drugs.
  • Guarantee personal religious freedom, for all, including children.
  • Remove all state support for religion.
  • Technocratic education for all.
  • Repeal almost all arbitrary laws.
  • Delete a good chunk of the state.
  • Strict constitutional limits to future state power.
  • End all "Thought Crime" laws.
  • Vastly reduce bureaucracy everywhere.
  • Simplify tax/benefit system.
  • ...
edit for U-turn...

wink

Edited by fluffnik on Sunday 10th May 01:21