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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

If you were the PM what would you do to fix the mess we are in?

294 replies

HoppingKangaroo · 28/08/2022 19:59

Just that really, if you were the prime minister what would you do to help fix the country and the cost of living crisis.

OP posts:
carefullycourageous · 28/08/2022 20:30

I'd ask some experts. The most stupid thing this country did was Brexit, because we didn't listen to experts, and now we really have a lot of ground to make up.

justfiveminutes · 28/08/2022 20:31

Tbf most of our ideas clearly wouldn't work, would have unintended consequences, or have been tried and failed. It's not easy is it. On balance, I think I'd support a bigger personal allowance so I could keep more of my own money, and temporary reduction in VAT to reduce cost of everything.

Antarcticant · 28/08/2022 20:34

Is that you, Rishi? Welcome to MN. Grin

JustTheOneSwan · 28/08/2022 20:35

Stop MPs claiming fuel bills in their expenses, we're all in it together etc.

L1ttledrummergirl · 28/08/2022 20:37

Dente · 28/08/2022 20:24

@L1ttledrummergirl

That doesn’t make sense.

Highly qualifier people would just leave the country to find places they were remunerated for their skills.

If they don't feel enough affinity with the country they are living and working in to want to stay and help those in need when times are hard, do we really want or need them here? If their purpose is to get rich off the backs of the poor then I don't mind if they leave.
There will be others who care about this country who will take their place.

rumred · 28/08/2022 20:39

Increase income tax on the very rich. Get advice from intelligent economists on the rest

Epicstorm · 28/08/2022 20:40

AnneLovesGilbert

What Keir has proposed. And I loathe the man. But he’s right on this.

Why do you loathe him? I always think he seems a decent person from a very ordinary background. Just interested.

Judellie · 28/08/2022 20:40

I thought of renationalising the utilities (not sure how tho, the government should ALWAYS have retained a stake in those). Then sort out solar panels for EVERYONE, even if it had to be businesses first. I felt so sorry for the farm shop in Yorkshire that had to close because it could no longer afford to run the freezers.
We do need investment tho especially in NHS and education. Ask proper experts about how to do that? I admit I have no expertise (would be nice if the government could admit the same about themselves!).
Everyone says how wonderful the Scandinavian countries are BUT they pay a lot of tax for what they get. We'd have to do the same to be the same rather than government contracts going to the minister's best pal - and then making a hash of it anyway.

PhoneyM · 28/08/2022 20:41

I’d enforce dividend being linked to longer term success. Banks did this for bonuses so decisions had to be longer term. Maybe same for MPs - give bonuses for long term success.

The root of all this is no one is accountable or interested in the long term.

VoiceaFromUranus · 28/08/2022 20:44

Do you go for total nationalisation or partial? Do you change company law to remove protection for smaller shareholders once the government start to price according to policy not market forces?

Do you pay market value for the shareholdings or just simply steal other peoples assets? (which is what I'm guessing a lot of people think nationalisation actually is). Do you somehow ensure that pension funds/insurers are somehow able to meet their liabilities now bloody good companies have been taken out of their portfolios?

Once you have nationalised, how do you control union influence over a monopoly?

And how do you ensure that investors continue to invest considering that the UK government no longer consider ownership as anything more than an inconvenience.

It's not that easy.

JustTheOneSwan · 28/08/2022 20:45

PhoneyM · 28/08/2022 20:41

I’d enforce dividend being linked to longer term success. Banks did this for bonuses so decisions had to be longer term. Maybe same for MPs - give bonuses for long term success.

The root of all this is no one is accountable or interested in the long term.

Agree with this.
the drive for profit has eroded infrastructure completely and with rail our loss subsidised Europe fares.
no one cares about longevity it's just the quick buck.

Gingernaut · 28/08/2022 20:45

If renationalisation is not an option - prevent bonuses and dividends being paid until all leaks are stopped, all sewage is properly treated, water treatment works are up to a decent standard and new ways of sourcing and providing water are brought online - prevent the idiocy of Thames Water actually mothballing a desalination plant in the middle of a drought because the water is too salty sometimes....

Ensure the gas infrastructure is robust enough to store enough gas and prevent it being sold for profit - Octopus, I'm looking at you

Electricity generation needs to be a priority - develop any and all clean (ish) methods of creating energy in order to make us self sufficient

Stop bailing out the privatised utility and travel companies - most are part or completely owned by foreign investors (including foreign governments)

Remove all alcohol from Westminster bars - send any unopened bottles back to the vendors and let the staff take home any opened bottles

Stop subsidising MPs' meals

Prevent MPs from claiming expenses for their first or second homes - no duck houses and no heating the stables

Prevent businesses from hiding behind shell corporations and prevent shell corporations from owning stocks, shares and property

Prevent non-doms from running businesses and donating to political organisations

Make MPs declare where all their funding comes from and declare the financial and political interests of their lobbyists, their advisors, their interns and their friends and families

Prevent MPs from hiring their own family members on expenses

Prevent all MPs from having second jobs and prevent them from being hired by corporations who would benefit from their political connections for at least one year after they cease to be an MP

rwalker · 28/08/2022 20:45

L1ttledrummergirl · 28/08/2022 20:14

Tax the very wealthy to ensure the poorest have enough to survive.
Cap the maximum salary to 10x your lowest paid worker so if your cleaner earns £10 an hour the ceo is capped at £100.

Scrap the daily charge on energy.

If you scrap the daily charge/standing charge

ehere does the money come from to upgrade and maintain the power network

justfiveminutes · 28/08/2022 20:46

A few people have said that the government should 'talk to experts'. They do actually do that. A family member works in property and was invited to be part of a working group advising ministers. Her feedback was that it is not a shortage of advice, it is the fact that that advice can be conflicting, that expert advice will not necessarily be popular with the electorate, that there isn't enough money to implement anything properly. I'm not defending them and didn't vote for them but that's one piece of advice they're already doing.

ShelfyMcShelfface · 28/08/2022 20:46

Skinnermarink · 28/08/2022 20:07

Oh sorry, I answered in a more general sense. THIS mess, well, probably comes down to taxing the feck out of people that can absorb it, big tax on second homes, bigger tax on third homes, etc.

Completely agree. Double whammy of increasing tax revenue in the short term and hopefully longer term increasing supply in the housing market so 1st time buyers can buy a home at a reasonable price.

tonicwaters · 28/08/2022 20:46

Truss will NOT renationalise utilities or transport companies
Truss will NOT increase taxes
Truss will NOT attempt to reverse Brexit
Truss will annoy the EU with her arrogance and there will be a Trade War. Lovely.
Truss will NOT do much for NHS
Truss will NOT do much at all for ordinary working folk, eyes on the wealthy Tories only.
Truss WILL I hope do something about energy costs though, otherwise the house of cards collapses.

Gingernaut · 28/08/2022 20:47

justfiveminutes · 28/08/2022 20:31

Tbf most of our ideas clearly wouldn't work, would have unintended consequences, or have been tried and failed. It's not easy is it. On balance, I think I'd support a bigger personal allowance so I could keep more of my own money, and temporary reduction in VAT to reduce cost of everything.

Hi Liz!

AdamRyan · 28/08/2022 20:47

Stop saying "tax the wealthy" when you mean people paying 100k+ on PAYE and close the loopholes so self employed pay higher tax of they are high earners. I'm fed up of watching "self employed contractors" earn double what I do and pay 15% tax for the same job. Its a joke.

Nationalise energy companies

Tax online sales so high streets can compete and make multinationals pay tax where they make sales

Raise basic tax thresholds again

Make Internet content subject to the same laws as printed content

GreenLunchBox · 28/08/2022 20:48

Wealth tax. It's time.

TheVolturi · 28/08/2022 20:48

Piss Russia off so we get nuked. Its the only way!

carefullycourageous · 28/08/2022 20:49

justfiveminutes · 28/08/2022 20:46

A few people have said that the government should 'talk to experts'. They do actually do that. A family member works in property and was invited to be part of a working group advising ministers. Her feedback was that it is not a shortage of advice, it is the fact that that advice can be conflicting, that expert advice will not necessarily be popular with the electorate, that there isn't enough money to implement anything properly. I'm not defending them and didn't vote for them but that's one piece of advice they're already doing.

No, it really is that this bunch of idiots don't listen to the experts.

I have insight into how things have changed with this specific government. Hopefully after Truss has been booted out at the next GE we will go back to the way it was under May and all before.

Gingernaut · 28/08/2022 20:49

rwalker · 28/08/2022 20:45

If you scrap the daily charge/standing charge

ehere does the money come from to upgrade and maintain the power network

From the bonuses to the directors and the dividends paid to shareholders.

Profits that should have been invested in infrastructure and maintenance has been continuously snapped up by the City and the investors and not put into the business.

FrippEnos · 28/08/2022 20:50

Renationalise the energy companies and reduce the cap.
Free period products
No VAT on essential items, (glasses etc.)
Tax higher end earners and the extremely rich.
Reduce MP's expenses.
Remove the subsidy on the food and drinks in the house of commons.
Make MPs pay their own energy costs.
increase education spending and wages.
Increase health funding and wages.
Reduce as much wastage from public services as possible but not cutting into essentials.
Increase taxation on high end bonuses.
Make it so that MPs cannot have any outside business interests whilst in office.
Come down hard on nepotism, contracts for mates etc.

GreenLunchBox · 28/08/2022 20:50

Stop saying "tax the wealthy" when you mean people paying 100k+ on PAYE and close the loopholes so self employed pay higher tax of they are high earners. I'm fed up of watching "self employed contractors" earn double what I do and pay 15% tax for the same job. Its a joke.

No, the wealthy, not workers. They already pay enough tax. Yes, even those on £100K

Needsmorebeans · 28/08/2022 20:50

Renationalise utilities rail and travel.
Higher taxes for the rich and use this income to reinvest in the NHS aand education.
Rent controls (the price gouging going on is ridiculous).
Remove profit from all social care and health.
Real committment for a real Green New Deal.