Where would you begin if you were the next government?

HousePlantQueen

the first thing I would do is review the tax code so that anyone who does business in this country pays tax in this country. Not a return to the punitive taxes of the 60's of course, but a good look at situations which (legally) permit the Ritz hotel in London to pay no Corporation Tax for years. Too many large companies don't pay proportionate tax, and no, I don't think an organisation the size of Amazon will just up and leave if they have to pay a bit more tax on their massive income.

Unfortunately, I read from time to time that government lawyers are no match for big, often international, company lawyers and all their resources.
Which is why it has been going on for decades.

I’m unelectable so I can say what I believe, that is those that can pay, do pay, the state only helps those that cannot, furthermore those on low incomes have responsibility to contribute.

This means health care and benefits are all means tested, no pensions unless your wealth is very low your house value is included in that.

As I said Im unelectable

I think regarding the NHS etc, first the government needs to tackle social care as a matter of urgency - get that sorted and so much of the NHS problems would be resolved.

Cap on rental property payments. I have a friend in Canada who rents a rather nice apartment. The government has set a cap of 3% pa, plus the standards of accommodation are way above what we have in the U.K. .

Rejoin the EU.

Raise the tax free allowance to £15000 - taking so many low income out of claiming pension credit/ allowances etc.

The saving in administrative costs for the government will pay for itself.

Abolish the right to buy
Abolish the 2 child benefit cap
Bring back rent controls
Renationalise water

Does that include mps?
Falling asleep, taking days off then being pictured in the pub, and so on?

They would be on my hit list.

Produce a viable plan for providing the money for all these suggested improvements; most are pie in the sky and many people seem to think there is endless money. There isn't.

People need to return properly to work and improve their work ethic before we can improve productivity and generate more income.

Every thing needs sorting out. Health, housing, transport, utilities and education. God knows if Labour are good enough to attack everything.

Have you read The Patient Paradox? It's an interesting read.

Doodledog

I would divert money away from universal screening programmes in the NHS to curing actual illness, and organise peer reviewed research into how many lives are actually saved by universal screening and prioritise accordingly.

I would invest in subsidised very cheap or free public transport, and make it more expensive to take cars everywhere, to cut air pollution and traffic jams.

I would work towards providing free childcare for working parents, covering pre-school to after-school/holiday clubs, and ensure that every child has a hot meal every day.

The NHS is not just a curing service. Screening is so important, it helps prevent serious illness, and is cost effective, catching and treating illness and disease before it gets incurable. Screening must never be ended. Lives saved.

I'd close the tax avoidance loopholes. The money could be pumped into the NHS, education, social care etc.

I would divert money away from universal screening programmes in the NHS to curing actual illness, and organise peer reviewed research into how many lives are actually saved by universal screening and prioritise accordingly.

I would invest in subsidised very cheap or free public transport, and make it more expensive to take cars everywhere, to cut air pollution and traffic jams.

I would work towards providing free childcare for working parents, covering pre-school to after-school/holiday clubs, and ensure that every child has a hot meal every day.

Total support for your post, HousePlantQueen . We could make good use of the money raised to fund some of the things others propose. And I agree, also, that many of these ideas require a long term vision- training more doctors and nurses for example- so won't be a quick fix in the remit if any government in one term.

Next, I'd sort out some sort of cap on landlords charging of rent.

Its ridiculous when people who earn decent wages have to claim top up benefits which go to people who often don't even live in the area, and may own multiple properties.

Get rid of the two child benefit cap.

As the wife of a very long term NHS 'employee', I agree with the need for a higher calibre of manager but far fewer of them amend an end to each new idea needing yet another layer of management to implement it.

Visgir1

kittylester

First thing the next government should is to admit that the NHS as it was initially conceived is not fit for purpose and should be totally rethought for the age in which we now live. There should be more computerisation and far fewer 'managers'. It should not be a sacred cow which noone dares to dismantle.

As an NHS employee.. I would have more higher calibre of NHS managers, pay them more. Get them all to sing from a similar song sheet, obviously local differences will come into play.
Stop thinking Medical staff can do the job. Just use them for clinical advise. Computer wise that's happening now.
I would also combined the Ambulance's and Fire crew same as in the USA.

I think the first thing should be to increase training spaces and to implement delayed capital schemes, particularly the ones related to diagnostic and operating capacity. . The structure is irrelevant unless there are sufficient appropriately qualified staff to enable patients to be treated. Technology can help, but you still need qualified bodies on the ground. Changing structures is just more obfuscation around what the real issue is, which is that there aren’t enough staff to treat people - it’s just rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic.

kittylester

First thing the next government should is to admit that the NHS as it was initially conceived is not fit for purpose and should be totally rethought for the age in which we now live. There should be more computerisation and far fewer 'managers'. It should not be a sacred cow which noone dares to dismantle.

Totally agree 👍🏻

So much to do, so little time - it's important that there is a shared plan.
I think the first thing I'd do is share my plan, setting out a clear idea of what needs to happen - not in manifesto mumbo-jumbo politic speak but in straightforward everyday bullet points on one side of A4.
When everyone is clear there's a better chance that the majority will pull in the same direction.
1: buildings and infrastructure - hospitals, schools, prisons, roads and pavements, waterways
2: management systems - reduce bureaucracy and wastage
3: consultation with public service providers and users about staffing
4 support for farmers

kittylester

First thing the next government should is to admit that the NHS as it was initially conceived is not fit for purpose and should be totally rethought for the age in which we now live. There should be more computerisation and far fewer 'managers'. It should not be a sacred cow which noone dares to dismantle.

As an NHS employee.. I would have more higher calibre of NHS managers, pay them more. Get them all to sing from a similar song sheet, obviously local differences will come into play.
Stop thinking Medical staff can do the job. Just use them for clinical advise. Computer wise that's happening now.
I would also combined the Ambulance's and Fire crew same as in the USA.

First thing the next government should is to admit that the NHS as it was initially conceived is not fit for purpose and should be totally rethought for the age in which we now live. There should be more computerisation and far fewer 'managers'. It should not be a sacred cow which noone dares to dismantle.

Like all these ideas! Will be important that extra funds given to councils are sufficient to do the job for which they’re intended. Even if not all at once.

No more giving more money but not enough, with no remit and blaming councils if it doesn’t cover potholes, surestart and social care in year one.

NHS waiting lists will need to be gradual or will consume every £ in sight.

We need lower rents, more housing, more NHS staff and funding, more funded nursery places, the waterways cleaning up, much better legislation re ecological issues, big tax cuts for the lowest paid, more social provision for care at home, the list is endless...but whether Labour will be able to deliver changes is questionable given the way the Conservatives have run down the country