If you ruled the country

[abacucat]

If you were suddenly made a benign dictator of your country, what rules would you bring in?

I'd ban all advertising for gambling websites.

A maximum interest limit on payday loans. About 5% should do it.

I'd increase the number of speed cameras to epic proportions.

All politicians would be forced to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

The sale of laser pointers and drones would be strictly controlled to only those with a legitimate professional use, and a licence would be required.

Life means life. A life sentence is not 22 years reduced to about 8 because of 'good behaviour' (of course they're good in prison, they can't indulge in their chosen criminal activity while they are in there, can they?). Life imprisonment is just that. You stay in prison for the rest of your life.

Compulsory driving test retake for anyone who breaks the law while driving, and a retake every 10 years for everybody else.

Increase the number of buses in rural areas.

Re-nationalise the Post Office.

I'd also bring back proper normal ordinary bog-standard cheap light bulbs.

Would make 2nd home ownership prohibitive and stop this idea that somehow there is money to be made out of bricks and mortar ..

Bus and trains are all free if you live here.

Build more motel like studio apartments to rent to single people, so they can leave home....

Also same for nurses, police and services, that are included in the salaries, so all they pay for is the food...

Train more people to do the job they want, why can't a 13 year old train as a plumber if they hate school...

Build retirement communities, when you get a four bed from council, you sign to say at 55 you will move, and leave the house for it's intended use.. If they saved £2 a week from the rent over 20 years it would mean the council financed your moving van.

Cyclists riding in the middle of the road when a perfectly good cycle lane is available will be fined 1 million pounds ( Death penalty for a second offence )

Any non smokers who do the pathetic coughing and hand waving when entering an area where smoking is allowed will get 12 months in jail ( and a punch in the chops )

Ban any Beatles and Rap "music"

Hard Brexit

Privatise the financial black hole that is the NHS

I would order the entire current government to apply for Universal Credit, then make sure the system crashed a few times so they had to wait six weeks to reapply. Then I'd find fault with their application so they had to reapply AGAIN. Then I'd find a reason to sanction them. Any reason would do. People have been sanctioned for having a heart attack and missing the rest of their assessment. By the person who witnessed them having a heart attack. Really. So I'm sure I could come up with a reason to sanction Esther Mcvey Maybe just for being Esther Mcvey.

I would close down the Daily Mail.

Then I'd make Katie Hopkins paddle to Syria in a leaking bathtub, giving the locals instructions to throw bricks at her when she arrived.

Oh that's better

TaMere I like your way of thinking!

I'll never live in a country that has the death penalty. If the UK ever brings it back I'm outta here by hook or by crook.

I'd ban smoking (which kills thousands of people a year) and ration alcohol to the recommended amount per week, but also look into the beneficial aspects of drugs that are currently illegal.

I don't get the hatred of cover versions or film remakes, there are some bands who do some excellent cover versions of songs! Northern Kings spring to mind, and Johnny Cash's version of Hurt, Lacuna Coil's version of Enjoy The Silence, I could go on...

Make attacks on people who are Goths and from other subcultures a hate crime. And enforce the laws we currently have with regards to other minorities.

Rape, child abuse and domestic violence means an automatic prison sentence. If you kill someone you're in for life (and I mean life.)

Total separation of church and state, I'd ban religious schools that are government funded, get rid of the act of worship we have in state schools. I want a secular country (and this is coming from a religious person, but I think we should be fair to everyone.) Sex education will be compulsory for everyone, regardless of parental choice or whether you go to a private school or not. (I know a few people who've gone to private schools who know sweet fuck all about safe sex, unlike my state school self who had it drummed into me.) Consent will be a HUGE part of this.

Scrap stupid rules about school and work uniforms, no forcing people to wear high heels, make up, skirts or ties, etc. Hair colour, length, dreadlocks, make up and tattoos can be whatever you want, likewise piercings, jewellery and nail polish unless for safety reasons. Let people be themselves.

I'd bring the law on abortion in Northern Ireland into line with the rest of the UK. If the Republic Of Ireland can get their arses into the 21st century so can they.

I would ban all companies from using/supplying plastic products and switch to more sustainable products.

I would also have the country participate mandatory clean ups in their local areas (unless there is a genuine reason they can't). Like jury duty.

Proportional representation.

Pay cap so the boss can only earn 10 times the salary of an average employee, and only 15 times his lowest paid employee.

Restrict 'second home' ownership to registered professionals only so ban 'have a go' landlords. Rent caps. Serious fines for slum-landlording. Tax the owners of empty homes heavily.

Take education, health and infrastructure away from politics. These are long term things, not political footballs.

Tax private school fees. After all, students are expected to recognise the benefit they get from having a degree via paying a 'graduate tax' (their loans); so why shouldn't we properly tax the advantage gained by going to private school?

Massive investment in non-degree/vocational post-16 education.

ginghambox, is that you, Jacob? 😂

I'd ban religious schools, while I was about it!

Jacob? Do you mean Rees - Mogg, no he's a leftie lovie

Oh yeah, renationalise public transport, ban public schools and take religion out of school while we're at it. And open up all the libraries again.

There's so many!

• Ban on crocs, most ugly fashion statement in the world!

• Wearing gym clothes when you're not going/have been to the gym

• Childcare costs would reduce the more you actually work!

• 'Unique' name spellings

• Reopen children's centres especially the more rural ones

@AdamNichol fantastic- please accept my visa application

🤘🏻🎸🎸

I would bring Schools back under Local Authority Control and bring back the Headteachers of old who had earned their right to that position.
I would ban Ofsted and league tables both deeply flawed and hugely detrimental.
I would make sure those who needed benefits i.e The sick or suddenly unemployed received enough to live on and restrict those who misuse the system or who keep having children they cannot afford!
I would fund the NHS properly and take away funding for non medical procedures

wheelchair users would have priority on transport. anyone who doesn't fold on buses(not sn buggys) would be fined 1000 pounds and banned for a month.
disabled toilets would only be for wheelchair users and people with disabiltys or health conditions that meant they need the space. anyone using them otherwise.would be fined.
football would be free to view on tv but would have its own channel and not be shown on others.
anyone parking dangerously round schools would have their cars seized.

Gingham: Privatise the financial black hole that is the NHS

Super! We could look forward to this:

Massive penalties for littering - like so prohibitive no one would dare do it
A complete ban on plastics
Incentives for farmers markets
Free public transport
A ban on artificial additives, e numbers and pesticides
No more fluoride in water
Proper provision for the homeless
Help to retrain and re-skill for prisoners and make them do productive work in prison for 8 hours a day
A ban on commercials
A ban on porn and sexualised advertising
Proper education in school for children about the dangers of alcohol and smoking
Youth centres for young people with proper staffing and funding
An end to student loans, better provision for apprenticeships and training in skills which lead to jobs
Universities having to be accountable not charging thousands for a course which is a few hours a week with poor teaching and no real job prospects
Teenagers being taught life skills in school - how to manage money, how to cook, how to use a drill. Etc
Real help for young people to buy a property
A real focus on green spaces , parks, etc
Cycle paths everywhere
Draconian laws for abusive partners that would really act as a deterrent and proper protection for victims
More initiatives to help people grow their own food
A massive drive on educating everyone about environmental issues

Shut down all nuclear power plants
Make it possible for every household to have solar panels if practical
Ban diesel cars

I could go on and on

all cosmetics, perfumery, detergents would be Cruelty Free
compulsory dog licenses
all in-store music banned
free car parks
free parks
free libraries
compulsory swimming lessons for all as part of Reception curriculum
re-open Beeching rail stations with free parking
ban empty houses for non-domiciles
make school class sizes 15max
free health care for all with 10min wait in A&E
end landfill
ban fracking
ban all fossil fuels
give nature a home in every garden
Get rid of UC
get rid of G4 contracts and anything else from which Theresa May benefits

If I was a so-called "benign dictator" I would resign for the sake of democracy.

I would ban loud telephone conversations in public places especially in restaurants ditto loud music or inane kids programs on tablets in public places.In fact I think I would ban smartphones altogether.

I’d somehow turn round the glorification of alcohol drinking. I don’t know how yet!

And a yes to banning religious schools, as pp mentioned. And selective, grammar, private and boarding schools.

pour billions £ into firefighting, police and health care to provide support and decent work life balance including all doctors and nurses full 8 hours sleep a night

dividends to shareholders could only be paid if certain criteria were met re environment and workers welfare.

but ovbs I'd be ruling the world, not just a country for that to work.