If I were Prime Minister....

[Board Game Geek]

1. Dealing with the obesity problem

Get kids cooking. Ban all packed lunches, slipping out to the chippy, etc.
Instead, during the lunch break, the kids actually use the canteen under supervision, to cook their food in groups. They get actively involved and choose their meal, prepare it, and cook it. In essence, lunchtime becomes an "extra lesson" in hands-on home economics. These skills will set them up for life.

2. Instilling Discipline and Learning Additional Skills

National Service from 18 (can be taken from 16 if requested) until 20.

3. Abundance of Alcohol

Use the model in several European countries, where alcohol is regulated by the state, and sold in specific licensed shops or bars. Ban the sale from corner shops, supermarkets, garages, etc.

4. Road Tax

Flat rate for all users of the road (bicycles, horses, bikes, cars, lorries, etc)

5. Crime

Stocks, Flogging and ultimately the Death Penalty for the most serious cases.
Deportation of non-nationals when crimes are severe enough.

6. Employment

Encouragement of worker/shareholder collectives, which spread the welath generated rather than channel it up to the top.

7. Self-Sufficiency

Attractive tax breaks for companies who manufacture within the UK. Make it worth their while coming here.

8. Social Care / Medicine

Continue with the "free at source" model, but improve standards of care, cleanliness, and reduce bureaucracy. More front line workers.

9. Housing

Form a nationalised Government Housing Corporation, which is basically "Barratt Homes" but run not-for-profit. This would reduce the margin on house construction by approximately 60-75%. The GHC are also entitled to ring-fence areas for their sole development, to avoid speculative land developers snatching the land for massive profit.

10. Welfare

For those who are out of work, but in between work, they can enlist on a number of governent work to welfare schemes. Bin collecting, rubbish clearance, even a stint at the Housing corporation, or any 1 of a 100 local community projects. All labour in = working credits out. Credits are used claim payments.

Those incapable of work, long term sick, etc are obviously provided for (and yearly assessments made by their doctor)

[Mustang]

I'd deport all the useless parts of society to the Isle of Wight.

I thought someone had already done that....?!!

[Ardesco]

1. Make anyone doing community service, wear bright orange jump suits so we can see that they are taking their punishment.

Far too americanised, whats wrong with the grey jump suits with arrows on them like in the old days? Let the americans have thier silly orange jump suits, make our "lags" wear good old fashioned British styled clothing!!

4. Bring back corporal punishment in schools.

Disagree, I'm a perfectly well adjusted member of society and I didn't have the cane. What we need to do is stop deriding teachers and back them up. My wife is a teacher and the sad fact is that these days children who get in trouble at school go home and tell thier parents, then thier parents charge into school threatening to "sort out" the teacher who has punished them. What do you think these parents are going to do if a teacher canes thier little darling?

When I was at school if I had ever been in trouble at school, or god forbid brought home by the police I knew that I would have had a strip torn out of me at home and my life would not be worth living for the next few weeks. Parents need to be taught to respect teachers and back teachers up. They also need to learn that it is not teachers who are supposed to bring up thier children, it is them. I have heard far too many stories of some chavvy parent moaning that thier little darling got into a life of crime because the teachers at school did not keep them on the straight and narrow when it is actually thier responsibility to do it and not the teachers.

Giving some kid a caning every day is going to do nothing if they get home and the parents tell them they are in the right and the teacher is in the wrong, all it will do is breed more contempt for teachers and teachers will suffer when more violence is aimed at them in revenge.

5. Introduce a "Bad Lads Army" for repeated yobs who need sorting out.

Lovely idea, but how about we start by funding our armed forces properly. They can't afford to deal with what they currently have on thier plate, they really don't need more things to do...

6. Fixed penalties for litter, enforced by litter wardens with clout.

Already done in some areas, surely you read about the woman fined because her daughter dropped a wotsit... How about we just get a bunch of criminals to clean up the streets every day then stick tham back in jail, oh and don't call it off if there is a bit of rain, make them do it come rain or shine and screw them if they don't like it.

7. Give Northern Ireland back to the Irish.

Obviously don't know much about the situation then, the problem is that half of the country doesn't want to be given to the Irish. How are you going to placate them?

8. Look after the armed forces with decent pay and accommodation.

Agree 100%

[DS23]

7. Give Northern Ireland back to the Irish.

what? you want to re-new the troubles?

[Waldorf]

[QUOTE=Ardesco;584965]Obviously don't know much about the situation then, the problem is that half of the country doesn't want to be given to the Irish. How are you going to placate them? [QUOTE]

It was only a last minute change in the 1920's that held on to the six counties of Ulster. My point it is not our problem to placate the ones that want to stay British, they can come and live in the UK if they wish but Ireland is not our problem.

[Waldorf]

Disagree, I'm a perfectly well adjusted member of society and I didn't have the cane. What we need to do is stop deriding teachers and back them up. My wife is a teacher and the sad fact is that these days children who get in trouble at school go home and tell thier parents, then thier parents charge into school threatening to "sort out" the teacher who has punished them. What do you think these parents are going to do if a teacher canes thier little darling?

When I was at school if I had ever been in trouble at school, or god forbid brought home by the police I knew that I would have had a strip torn out of me at home and my life would not be worth living for the next few weeks. Parents need to be taught to respect teachers and back teachers up. They also need to learn that it is not teachers who are supposed to bring up thier children, it is them. I have heard far too many stories of some chavvy parent moaning that thier little darling got into a life of crime because the teachers at school did not keep them on the straight and narrow when it is actually thier responsibility to do it and not the teachers.

Giving some kid a caning every day is going to do nothing if they get home and the parents tell them they are in the right and the teacher is in the wrong, all it will do is breed more contempt for teachers and teachers will suffer when more violence is aimed at them in revenge.

It never did me any harm! Or perhaps some think it did!

Teachers have no respect and kids think they can do what they want, sure it probably won't happen but it should.

[Waldorf]

Far too americanised, whats wrong with the grey jump suits with arrows on them like in the old days? Let the americans have thier silly orange jump suits, make our "lags" wear good old fashioned British styled clothing!!

Happy to concede on this, provided they are identified that is fine by me!

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Happy to concede on this, provided they are identified that is fine by me!

I would prefer this solution as well as I have some old oil rig overalls I use when tinkering with my old motors - they are bright orange and it's bad enough being suspected of escaping from Guantanamo Bay, never mind people thinking I'm doing a Community Punishment.