Terry

Greetings to all site users. Here's my contribution to things and I recognise that within the overall anti-EUness we all share we will hold different views on various things. So, here goes.

There are 2 things I see on the overall political scene at the moment. The first is the overall absence of traditional ideology, or of competing ideologies (traditional against liberal). Labour are operating on a managerial level and do not have any moral compass in the traditional sense. Instead they identify as wrong (in no particular order and without this being a complete list) the Tories, foxhunting, racism, anti-homosexuality (witness the clause 28 repeal), anti-environmentalism, anti-Europeanism and any number of causes which classify guilt as being on a collective rather than an individual level.

The Tories are operating in a similar way. Unlike their predecessors (the Thatcher government), they seem reluctant to support traditional morality (which prompted clause 28); they do not express anti-Europeanism (even if they probably feel it deep down inside), and promise essentially to do more of whatever Labour are doing but do it better.

The question is where UKIP fits in. Europe is one issue (though a vital one), but my question is what kind of nation UKIP and forum members would like to create if we leave Europe. What do you all stand for on social issues? Are you broadly happy or unhappy with traditional morality? Are you Thatcherite economists or one-nation Tories? Basically, take Europe out of the equation and what do you all stand for?

The reason for my questioning is not to tell you what you should think, but to actually find out what you do think. It is absolutely vital that the people of this country really put their minds to it to consider what kind of country they want to be - what they stand for, who their alliances should be with, and more.

Which leads to my second main point. A number of fundamental changes have happened within Britain in the last 30-40 years and I do not believe the people of this country have ever sat down and thought coldly whether they wish this country to be going in the direction it has taken. We must get ideological discussion across a whole range of issues back on the political agenda so that the people of this country can make honest choices about the kind of society they want, rather than just sleepwalk INTO phpbb_a future they didn't really choose.

I obviously have my own views on the kind of country I want Britain to be as do all of you. It is absolutely vital though that the whole country has a no holds barred dialogue about where we are going and what we want to be.

mkpdavies

Welcome Terry,

Stay tuned to the forums to see the fine details of what I want from Britain. Here are a few key things to me!

1. For the people to be trusted again to run their lives as they see fit. Less government and more powers pushed down to local communites. Less bean counting, stats, league tables and all the other rubbish that proves nothing to be cut right back. No ID cards, as we are not the property of the state!

2. Never again should we allow the people in charge to take this country to war against the peoples wishes. There are times when a country has to go to war, but there has to be solid reasoning behind it and every avenue has to have been explored. Britain should have a strong military, that can trust it's government to use it only when necessary! Stop giving other people the reason to commit terrorism against us!

3. I don't want people to suffer if they fall on hard times. This means we have to have a system of health, housing and education that will help people out of these hard times. What we don't want is a system where it is more comfotable to live of benefits, than it is to on even the lowest paid of jobs. So lots of emphasis needs to be put on making sure the lowest paid get all the tax breaks etc necessary to make it worth their while.

4. I want to see infrastrucure put in place, so that the whole of Britain is attractive for work and living. Building more and more homes in the South is not the right way to go about things.

5. Stop using every little misdemeanor that people may do, as a reason for making money. Especially when the laws in place are an ass. Violent crime, breaking INTO phpbb_homes, etc etc should be the real focus of the police.

6. Britain to sort it's public transport system out to make it more attractives to use, rather than making using the car unattractive. Society has built up around the use of the car and to abuse the tax system on the pretence that cars are really bad for the environment is not on. Give people cheap clean and efficient public transport and they will use the car less when possible = less congestion.

7. No discrimination of any kind, positive or negative.

8. Freedom to say what you like, practise whatever religion you want, and do anything you want as long as you don't harm ANYONE else.

9. Taxation to be simplified on a massive scale. I would like one tax only in income tax, so we can all really see what we are paying. This would also save a lot of money in administration. All these stupid tax credits etc to be chopped too.

10. Britain to actively put the hand of friendship to every nation on earth that deserves it. From there I would like to see trade barriers brought down, and co-operation on as many issues as possible, without forming massive powerblocks held together by fat, corrupt, bureaucracy.

11. The older generation to be respected more, and their experience used more in all walks of life. A fair pension system that means if you pay in, you get what you are told from the start and no punishing people for saving for their old age by means testing them when they get there!

12. Where possible government to steer clear of running particular services. However there are key services that this country needs that the government should provide a basic service at least. Healthcare, education, etc should all have a reasonalble service for everyone who pays INTO phpbb_the system. Private companies should be allowed to provide whatever service they want and people can then choose to use them instead if they wish.

There I have skimmed the surface of all my wishes, feel free to pick holes in any of them, then I will add some more detail! Remember these are my personal wishes not those of UKIP necessarily!

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http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/
http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/
http://lpuk.org

My ignore list

Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

C_steam

Well done Matt. A list I think we all buy into.

kernow

I think mkpdavies your wishes just about cover most of the general publics wishes and UKIP are for me the one party that might deliver that if in power,

eu-serf

I agree with pretty much all that Matt said.

The current government has set itself up to control every aspect of our lives. Quite frankly they despise us.

All I want from a Government is the acknowledgement that my life belongs to me, and they have no right to tell me what to do, unless my actions are causing a significant problem to others.

If they really suceed to introduce id cards, it will not be so much of a big new event, more of a solid example of what they think about us and the icing on the cake as far as how they wish to treat us.

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The Road to Euro Serfdom.