If you were Prime Minister - What would be your first ten priorities ?

I'm reposting this blog here on Peter's behalf as I've decided to not to have forums on the Group pages...

Originally posted by Peter Lambert Hartley on March 23, 2010 at 11:56pm in Surrey Business Club...

This is probably the hardest job to perform in the UK, and the hardest question to answer.

We have all probably "put the world to rights" at some stage or another, but in the present circumstances, our 'collective wisdom' MUST produce some valid points.

As youngsters, we probably dreamed "If I were King/Queen ... " and later "If I were Prime Minister ... ".

Well, this country is (technically) in Depression, but being an Election Year, I doubt that any politician dare utter those words. Very soon, the Party Political Canvassing will be underway (I expect to have to do my 'bit'), so there has never been a more appropriate time for us to express our views. Who knows - if miracles can happen, perhaps some comments might make it.

At this stage, I must declare an interest - occasionally, I visit "Portcullis House" in London to carry out an MP or Ministerial briefing. Maybe I'm 'fishing' for ideas ?

As a 'hint', of the Working Population of the UK, at present 25% are Unemployed. But that doesn't show up on Government Statistics (but we all know about Statistics). Furthermore, the Social Welfare Spending Budget in the UK for FY 2010 forms 25% of the Total Government Spend, commensurate with Healthcare and Pensions. (Education is only about 6%, and Defence is merely 8.5%, in case you thought otherwise.) Is this right ?

[See http://www.ukpublicspending.co.uk/uk_welfare_spending_40.html for corroboration.]

Stamp Duty has NOT kept pace with Inflation - this is a major element in slowing down House Sales (apart from the obvious fear of losing one's Income). Is Stamp Duty fair, or even relevant ?

After the French Revolution, the 'Excited Peasants' were put to re-building the roads - mainly to find an outlet for their energy, but it also ensured that people could be provided with food and be PROUD of having achieved something. And France got a network of decent roads (at the time), compared with the rutted tracks in the UK.

Because the UK lost so many people in the two World Wars, Child Benefits were introduced, to help re-build the Population. Do we NEED those Benefits, now ? (By "we", I mean the UK, not Individuals 'on Benefit'.)


Isn't it time that we thought about what is best for this Country, rather than keep "looking in the weeds" for single, personal elements. Perhaps we need another "Industrial Revolution" ?

What are your thoughts ?