You are now the Prime Minister...

[Norman Verona]

Mike, you're probably right.

That's why things won't change, because people just laugh at this type of proposal.

Stu,

The same thing has already happened to petrol retailing. I warned those who would listen in the 60's and 70's that the oil companies were closing the small stations on the basis that it was too expensive to refill them as the super tankers couldn't get on the forecourts. Now most of the interdependent petrol retailers are gone.  Where's  the competition now?

[echoz]

And, finally, I would move away from American influence and turn to Europe. At least that way I know who's going to stab me in the back rather than smile and claim a "special" relationship whilst doing all they can to undermine our great country

Yep, we only do this to the French. Smile and stab!

You will be talking German by now if not for the Yanks.  

....oh we do the same if I'm the Prez here. Get out of Europe & United Nations.

honest to god you must really be about 12 years old          

[echoz]

Norm, i'd just like to say, that whenever i've read something written by yourself that I feel a little bit wiser when i step away from the computer, so thanks for that It's nice to see someone actively encouraging the process of debate and getting people to think a little, as well as to read sensible responses, one of the biggest reasons I visit this forum so frequently

[jeff oakley]

Supermarkets of all denominations are not evil but they are going to expand into areas that we would prefer they didn't. But they are not to blame for all the ills of the high street it is the planners who hold that responsibility. The reason that they expand is they are allowed to almost unhindered by the planners, they have allowed out of town retail parks to flourish and guess what, people like going there in the dry and warm.

People need to help thenselves really but whilst the majority are happy with average quality at the lowest price they will continue to grow.

High streets can fight back, if you look at Hay on Wye they became a book village with every type of book in the world, Tetbury became an antiques centre and as a result in those towns the other shops have flourished.

On the point about Americans, a lot of people on both sides of the pond form their opinions of each other based on media and hearsay. I have friends in the states and they are intelligent warm people who are more than aware of their countries short comings as I am of the UK. We have to face facts, the US did not enter iether World War at the begining but they sacfificed men in huge numbers when they did, that was the politicians fault not the general publics. We have enjoyed the relationship since the war overall and it is just now that the forgein policy that America has followed has started to bite back negativly across the world. But we must face facts the Amercians influence will be lessened as the Chinese and the far east grow bigger and bigger, if you think Americans are bad the chinese are not against killing their own people, they will not hesitate to do something if their growth is threateaned. The world order is changing and I would rather be friends with America than China.

[Dibby]

Scrap jobseekers allowance in order to double disability benefits and get doctors to do a proper assessment on who is able to work. Anyone claiming money being fit and able to work will be given a job painting railings, weeding paths at the old peoples homes, watering flowers around town and picking litter. A council house comes with a council job.

Reduce the number of students going to university to a sustainable level so the country can afford to send people without lumping them with massive debt. Encourage kids who are more suited to it into vocational courses rather than give them Mickey Mouse degrees to feel wanted in society.

Legalise voluntary euthanisia and introduce the right to chose when to end your life.

Strip councils, NHS and public sector of these waste of space job titles like the events co-ordinators, open space challenge officers and concentrate on the core business of making people better

... and free road tax for kit cars!

[juansolo]

- Fund the immediate construction of a pikey cannon. This would be used to launch pikeys and their caravans into the sea.

- The pikey cannon would further be used on NIMBYs who complain about noise when they move near race tracks and hippies who complain about motorists

- Repair the roads, instigate a driver re-education programme based around common sense. Once complete all traffic lights / other furniture will be removed and people will have to actually think about driving again. This includes an abolishion of speed limits.

- The one rule will be 'don't drive like a w****r'. This will be enforcable by pikey cannon. Drive within reason and with courtesy and you'll be fine. Drive like a w****r, especially in villages/towns and it's the cannon.

- A withdrawl of all troops currently in action and declare war on France. Let's face it, it's much nicer than here, but spoiled by the French occupying it. We should take that.

That'd be a start.

[Dibby]

The don't be a Dangler rule would be a welcome change from the current view that the only possible way of driving badly is to go over the speed limit.

Also, get rid of these partenerships that run the cameras and make the police police the roads with people who can judge whether 75 is ok on an empty motorway in clear weather rather than rely on the monkey-see-monkey-do attitude of press button: get reward: increase statistics of speeders to justify our jobs.

[Norman Verona]

Jeff, I too have American friends and relations. They are nice, good people.

However the US policy since 1940 has caused untold grief in the world. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan not to mention agricultural policy that has been estimated to kill 5 million people annually through hunger and disease.

Anyway, this is not the place to discuss these matters.

I do agree with you about the planning of greenfield sites. However, the planners are tasked with reducing inner city congestion so are faced with "damned if they do, and damned if they don't" situation.

I proposed reducing the tax for small shopkeepers.

[lippydave]

- Fund the immediate construction of a pikey cannon. This would be used to launch pikeys and their caravans into the sea.

- The pikey cannon would further be used on NIMBYs who complain

That'd be a start.

The Pikey cannon gets Juansolo my vote, it is definitely the best idea to emanate from this thread....

Juansolo for El Presidente.....

Viva the Pikey Cannon....        

[echoz]

- Fund the immediate construction of a pikey cannon. This would be used to launch pikeys and their caravans into the sea.

- The pikey cannon would further be used on NIMBYs who complain

That'd be a start.

The Pikey cannon gets Juansolo my vote, it is definitely the best idea to emanate from this thread....

Juansolo for El Presidente.....

Viva the Pikey Cannon....        

+1

had enough of hippies after glastonbury weekend! and poikeys even more so, disgusting thieving rotten animals that walk behind a counter and steal stuff from right in front of your face and 40 customers just becuae theyre an overweight fat f**k no hope dole taking nunney!

anyone who has the idea of pikey cannon should automatically pass go collect 200 quid and take control of tyhe country in my eyes!

oh and whilst were at it, make intimidation a crime!" cuz ive had enough of pikeys gettin gwaht they want when they want because people are to afraid to argue back/ stick up for themselves! ring the police, who do nowt, and leave them to cause havoc once they left! arrr and breath!

"I fooking hate pikeys!"

[Norman Verona]

I'll tell you a story about our traveling friends one day. Not now I'm of to France

[double-trouble]

A lot of good ideas so far....

Here's a few I'd propose:-

1/ Sort out/reduce/remove public sector procurement rules - these *appear* to be sensible enough, but the law of unintended consequences means that they unfailing result in poor value for money and much waste.

Using some of the savings previously identified:-

2/ Up investment in "public" infrastructure - roads, rail etc Oh and while you're resurfacing the roads and building railways add ducts into all of them which all qualified bodies can install new services (e.g. fibre optic broadband etc).

3/ Up investment and incentives for Scientific research and inductry R&D in the UK, while making it easier for british companies to turn the results into useful stuff for mankind.

4/ Make practical life long education usefull and open to all.

5/ Much stricter controls on advertising standards - too much marketing hype is devaluing our collective core values.

[Dibby]

Think a lot of people are missing the point of becoming PM, you have just inherited a £4.3 trillion debt you have to clear. Lots of spending our way out debt, not so much on how we're going to recoup the debt so the country doesn't cripple itself with interest payments alone.

Spending our way out of debt is like trying to w**k your way out of loneliness.

A cost-neutral idea: Scrap road tax and the banding based on CO2 emissions and put the lolst revenue into fuel tax. The more you burn the more you pay.

That way you can use a standard efficient diesel family saloon for commuting and save the high consumption toys for the weekend. You can own a V8 Range Rover for weekends without being taxed through the nose for the pleasure of owning it.