how now Brown cow

just been reading some stuff on the Guardian about Brown. Here's some ideas for policy changes (in no order at all):

getting the UN and esp Arab League to help in Iraq, if they will.

Ending the policies on Faith Schools and Academies. This is one of the most stupid policies i've ever heard. Give the gov £2mil, they give you £30mil, and you get your own school to do with as you wish.

re-examination of the use of the private sector in public services. if it works, actually REALLY works, then fair enough. But too often it doens't, but Labour are 'the party of business now' so they need to court the CBI. And who looses out?

trying to get back to substance over style. i realise i'm in the minority in that i study what goes on in politics, but it would reassure me. Brown is definatly substance based so i'm hopeful.

Stopping the Trident thing. i realise we need it, i don't like it and i don't like accepting that but Bevan was right, we would be sent 'naked into the conference hall'. But it doens't need doing for a few years, and even having 1 less sub would save £1billlion. That's alot of schools and hospitals.

PR in local government would be lovely, as would a greater dissemination of control to local gov

MAJOR reform of the house of Lords. This is a piss-take and needs sorting.

Local income tax to replace counicl tax

less financial pressure on the NHS, rather pressure on patient care. If necessary, raise taxes, which leads me onto

Tax reform. inlight of what's coming out today (http://money.guardian.co.uk/pay/story/0,,1979244,00.html), i think the wealth gap needs closing. cut taxes at the bottom and raise them at the top.
Massive wealth gaps are BAD FOR BUSINESS as optimal meritocracy is reached in an equal society, where all people are able to give their best to business and showcase their talents and abilities in business. If only 75% of the population is literate to the expected level, there's alot of competition lost because we lack the skills. a high skill economoy based around R&D and science and technology is the best way for our economy to go. We need better skills throughout the economy and a more equal soiety in terms of wealth is important.
it'll help alot. i personally think that Brown's baby of tax rebates are a silly idea. Why not just not tax them in the first place and save all that time and money in adminitration?

further to better skills, we need some investment in Further and Higher education. i understand the need to invest in schools, but leaving HE and FE in a state means that the successes are lost further down the line



http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1979168,00.html
"Prudent Chancellor? Does this idiot think we all are cretins?
Brown has asset stripped this country,the whole success of his Chancellorship is based on illusion and massive unsustainable debt. Do you think there is a possibility of a working class man being able to buy a House or find a bloody Dentist in Brown's successful Britain?"

good point. can't help but feel that the wealth gap is a little too massive. My friend is 22, has a fine (1st) degree from Nottingham in bio-medical science, works in the city and lives with her boyfriend who is 25ish with a very well paid job. They can afford a mortguage! How the hell am i ever gonna afford one, being a social scientist as i am? Move to Wales of course.

drop the ID card thing. I don't know who's been lining whos pockets, but it's not a good idea. Has it helped anywhere else in the world? No (please correct me if i'm wrong)

Focusing more on Europe than America. Ok, America has the biggest economy in the world. BUT, it's the size of a continent. If we compare USA to EU, we in Europe are richer and more efficient, with a social model that is both nicer and more effective. And they like football. I know there are alot of Euro-haters around, but maybe we could look at some Europe-wide policies, maybe in terms of defence (refering in part to Trident). sorry, definatly.

other policies will be along as and when they get formulated.
They're just a start, and i don't claim to be a policy maker but there's a good few of us coverting them. Remember how the Republicans won by mobilising their core support?....