what are the top 3 things that you think the government should be tackling?

[MentholLoad]

after reading various headlines related to the Tory Party Conference and also not related to the conference, I am interested to hear what people think the priorities should be for the government?

because to me they are just mincing around the edges, HS2, smoking bans, so much emphasis on stopping immigrants, post 16 qualifications....huh?

for me, these are the 3 top priorities (subject to change, as I read other people's!)

1. the NHS
2. social housing (need more) and rental properties (the STATE that landlords are providing and controlling the cost
3. poverty....cost of living/wages
4. the environment....water pollution (water companies discharging sewage to rivers etc) and air pollution

Public Transport, including road improvements (which also helps buses etc).

Simplifying the tax and benefits system so workers are no longer penalised for working more, taking promotions, extra shifts, etc.

Education - far more emphasis on "life skills" such as numeracy and literacy, and more emphasis on "manual" skills such as trades, engineering, etc. Don't make "manual" skills compulsory, but have them as options for those who aren't interested in languages, sciences, humanities, arts, etc.

But how many of those claiming benefits are actually working full time? It's pretty unreasonable for people to think they can survive on part time wages and the benefits systems shouldn't really be there to facilitate part timers who could work full time.

Poverty and lack of education. These are the indicators for knife crime. Watch this.

there shouldn't be people who are 'expected' to do it. people are good at different things and people have different interests. I wouldn't want carers to be people that have no interest in caring

SEND provision
Misogyny
NHS
family court
More social housing

NHS
Poverty/cost of living
And a selfish one - leasehold management fees

But to fill the gap in carers' pay will have to rise. It might have to rise to (hypothetically) £60,000 a year to fill the gap because then will the right numbers be 'interested' in caring. That is probably not the type of interest you mean so the gap is going to be compromised.

It’s a job.

I think you are very naive or even disingenuous if you are trying to tell me that carers are doing it because wiping someone’s bottom or drool is their passion and dream job.

Housing, social care, education.

It is telling that Michael Gove is actually working on a bill to improve things for tenants, but either he's not talking about it or it's not being reported. It is incredible to me that Right to Buy still exists, I have a feeling Gove did at some point try to end it but I could be giving him too much credit.

Central government cutting funds to LAs, encouraging risky 'investments' by them and otherwise washing their hands of the sector has been disastrous. Localism (which used to be popular in Tory circles) shouldn't mean just cutting LAs loose. Where they do get involved, it's with blatant gerrymandering of funds to Tory areas. Truly disgusting.

Cummings' impact on education has never really been unpicked. Now we can see what damage the twat did elsewhere, how about that?

SEN schools/education (lack there of)

Conditions of current school buildings

Private rent rates/BTL mortgages

Supermarket food prices

Public transport in rural areas

Means testing over 70s freebies (free tv licence, winter fuel payment etc)

Vast majority of "benefits" claimants are pensioners, but we don't view the state pension as a benefit, even though it is. I don't want to see pensioners suffer, but I wish people understood more that the vast majority of the welfare state is spent on pensions and other pensioner benefits, rather than single mothers only working 16 hours a week.

My top three priorities are:

Climate Change
NHS
Housing.

With education coming in 4th.

1. climate change
2. poverty
3. NHS

Climate change short and long term
Aging population/nhs/ care system
Managing inflation therefore cost of living

I mean, I don’t think Labour were far wrong with their Education, Education, Education mantra.

A quality education system negates the need for so many other costly interventions around benefits, housing, crime, health and immigration.

My top three would be the NHS (because it’s a mess after 13 years of Tories), Education, and the Environment.

1. High energy prices (maybe claw back more if the energy companies' windfall profits

1. NHS (I know it's a huge one but all that's ever happened is tinkering around the edges by whichever political party is in government. Maybe what's needed is a cross party agreement in how the NHS is run and paid for, looking at how the health services in continental Europe are run)

1. Illegal immigration/boat people 🌹

Ooo the subtle ageism is back...

Older people who have contributed to society, the workforce, taxes etc their whole lives are so undeserving , and should be made to continue to work indefinitely so younger, fitter, able people can claim benefits instead?

The elderly are not the problem.

Education
Poverty
NHS

Benefits, really are not an issue. It's divide and rule- "look! Some poor people over there have a tele!"

What utter bollox

1. Dog poo. (Think global, act local; improve daily life and neighbourhoods – people tend to care about and put time and energy into their neighbourhoods when they’re pleasant places to be.)
2. Climate change.(Big sweeping changes snuck in while all the dog people are frothing about Rover no longer allowed to shit in public.)
3. Cost of childcare and wraparound provision. (Workforce full of women will sort everything else out.)

Can you not read? Where did I say ANY of that.

I was just pointing out where the vast majority of our welfare spending goes. It's increasingly going to be an issue in the future as we have an aging population and our fertility rates are below replacement level.

I'm afraid this does need to be addressed. We can't just ignore the issue and hope it goes away, or worse, accuse those who point it out of "ageism" 🙄

And just how do you suppose it's addressed? Raise the pension age? Reduce the payment? Kill a few off?

1. Climate change
2. Education - funding and bringing the curriculum into the 21st century
3. NHS

No you're absolutely right. There are no non extreme solutions to this ticking time bomb therefore we should continue to ignore it entirely and continue to suggest that anyone who raises wants to kill pensioners off. That will work I'm sure.

NHS. Poverty. Climate change.

If I'm allowed more than 3, education funding desperately needs sorting out. We need a long term strategy for economic growth. And someone needs to address the problems in the housing sector.

@Houseplanter why have you replied to @Syndulla 's post like that. She said factually that pensions are considered a benefit.

I have extensive prolonged experience of carers, good and bad, caring for relatives. and have friends who are paid carers. and those that are also unpaid carers, myself included