Describe the imaginary political party you would want to vote for

[Cuppasoupmonster]

For those of us fed up of the sad selection on offer!

The left are toxic, the right are toxic. I want a pragmatic ‘centre’ party. A bit like the early days of New Labour. A focus on average working people and families, long-term plans for the environment, healthcare and cost of living/housing. No identity politics twattery, no TWAW, no taking the knee type gestures. Straight talking people who can be honest with the public about what is and isn’t possible rather than offering the moon on a stick then failing to deliver it. Standards and transparency and an oath to resign the moment they’re caught lying about their tax affairs. A leader with gravitas that doesn’t look like he or she is about to burst into tears at any moment Kier or have a constant lame grin like they can’t really believe they’ve been made Head Boy and are enjoying wearing the badge Rishi. Maybe a sort of British Barack Obama?

What about you?

Can I have the Caroline Lucas Party (i.e. just her, not the Green party) please?

Well OP I’d vote for your party- I couldn’t have put it better myself.

Id also do something about all the weird childish booing and hissing in Parliament. What in the name of jumping Jehoshaphat is all that about. “I ask you mr leader of the opposition if you have conspired the economical impact on Wingardium Leviosa treaty?” (or some such bollocks). Cue 65 middle aged idiots “Waaaaahey gahahaha, blieghrghj, hyar hyar”

Im fucking sorry but I wouldn’t tolerate that bollocks from children let alone elected Members. Why do they do it? They may as well just have a pissing contest and be done with it.

Can we have manifestos that are legally binding please, so we don't all get promised a pink unicorn and a million pounds, and then they smirk and say sorry, the previous government left us in such a state that in fact you owe us a pink unicorn and a million pounds instead...

Oh and legislation passed that rules that rape trials are decided by a judge not a jury.

Julie Bindel argues an excellent case for this - essentially that when living in a patriarchy it isn’t possible for 12 random people to make a fair non-misogynist judgement.

I quite like the sound of your alert OP. And absolutely yes to putting a stop to the fucking ridiculous, behaviour in parliament. Drunk, braying sixth form borders come to mind.

I'd also like a leader that answered the question asked as standard. Even if the answer was "I'm sorry. I don't know the answer to your question. I will make an effort to find out."

Someone who doesn't promote the erosion of women's rights.

Someone who demonstrates good family values and clearly respects and supports their partners success (whatever sex).

Someone who appoints cabinet members based around actual strengths and skill set

And someone who has ever had a job outside of politics and has a grasp on reality.

Think that's it for now.

Alert = party

Every MP should have to work out side of politics for three years, preferably in retail or manufacturing.
women’s rights would have to be key.

I want a party that takes the concerns of actual working classes seriously. That doesn't fetishise poverty with fannying about policies that can enable middle class people to virtue signal about poor people needing better benefits but not doing anything positive about work opportunities, training schemes, youth clubs etc. That wants proper opportunities and is small business and small employer friendly, that encourages people to set up in employment with proper supports. That doesn't do frilly things like "low traffic neighbourhoods" in middle class areas, where traffic is funneled onto main roads where poorer people live and where more people of colour tend to live (like our local one. Pushes traffic into a street where housing is predominantly occupied by Asian families, whereas low traffic neighbourhoods is almost exclusively white). Where canal towpath s and train tracks are utilized for cycling with proper lighting and security patrols, so people can cycle safely without ruining traffic flow. Where gender identity is respected and protected but not actively taught in schools. Where women are recognized as a vulnerable group and protections for women are fundamental.

I'm don't think the parties we have currently are the problem I think they are the symptom.

The whole Westminster culture needs to change. Do away with the subsidised bars etc, sort out voting so it can be done remotely, stop parties from parachuting in top candidates into safe seats.

Make it a proper job and not a boys club.

One that brings back the death penalty and generally tougher laws and sentencing.

Yes.
I would like a party that focuses on zero carbon, sustainable farming, researching and trialling a citizen's income, increasing social housing, investing in the NHS (obviously), raising standards and safety in state schools, providing equal paternity leave, affordable childcare, enabling both parents to work part time and flexibly so as to share childcare also, smashing the patriarchy....the list is endless and far from anything currently on offer.

I like your party, OP. Can it also have politicians that don't start responses to questions with "Look, ..."
It's so bloody patronising.

And definitely yes to net zero carbon and actually good environmental proposals.

I'd get rid of political parties altogether as I see party politics as counter-productive to democracy, representation and implementation.

I'd rather vote for truly independent candidates that come close to representing my views and the constituency they claim to represent.

The elected MPs can then nominate candidates and elect the PM.

The other layer of government (House of Lords) needs a lot of tinkering - it's an unsatisfactory arrangement with membership currently given by a lot of random criteria that doesn't suit its purpose which is to check and balance The Commons.

I like the sound of that. I want a party that focuses on pragmatic, preventive, policies with joined up thinking.

Support unpaid carers so they don’t burn out requiring expensive social care intervention.

Invest in childcare to keep parents in the work force.

Build social housing. What is the point of paying people through UC £1k+ rents only benefitting private landlords.

No TWAW guff. Protect womens single sex spaces. Nice chat about mutual respect and third spaces.

Legalise assisted dying/ euthanasia.

I was reading about a pilot programme that allows Gp to prescribe heating to those under certain income Levels who will end up being hospitalised due to conditions worsened by cold/ damp. This makes sense to me as heating is hundreds but staying in hospital costs thousands.

Less cronyism where your chums get enormous contracts and you get fancy holidays/ lucrative board memberships

Tony Blair’s new labour third way thing before the illegal war ☹️

there is no point in worrying about what ideal party you'd like with our massively unfair first past the post voting system - they'd never get in.
So I want any party that is behind introducing a democratic voting system where every vote counts, then it's time to think about the ideal party.

Actual long-term strategies for food and energy security, a proper industrial strategy to increase productivity and living standards. Rejoin the single market and customs union immediately. Far more scaffolding for small businesses to establish and grow, especially in key sectors like tech, renewable energy etc. Properly funded childcare as this pays for itself. A Government that would treat people like grownups and stop lying to us like we are idiots. Reform unpayable unfunded public sector pension time bomb rather than pretending this issue doesn't exist and kicking it forwards as it won't explode during their term in office - requires total overhaul. End to fiscal drag: all tax and benefit thresholds, pension contribution limits etc to be uprated annually by inflation unless a specific law is passed to the contrary, so that the stealth taxing stops passing under many people's radars. Equalisation of the tax system so that single people are no longer taxed more than two adult households with the same income, which would also massively reduce child poverty. Removal of ridiculous bottlenecks in the tax and benefits system that discourage people from being more productive. A proper set of very detailed, audited Government accounts published annually for every department so there is proper transparency over where our money is going. Properly funded education so that class sizes are reduced to a maximum of 20 and proper SEN provision. Accessible and worthwhile training and qualifications to be available for adults. Agree with PP about trials for rape or sexual offences being heard by a judge only. Also enforcing the Equality Act properly so that misogyny and ableism are no longer tolerated and dealt with as severely as racism. Fix the NHS shambles. Pay public sector workers properly. Invest in decent infrastructure.

Basically the complete opposite of everything they are doing.

Yes! Or (in my opinion even worse) ‘the question is’ - no, you’ve been asked a question, stop trying to dodge it by turning it into an easier one for you.

Caroline Lucas hmmm. I could see her as a good minister for the environment or similar but not certain she’s PM material.

Agree about the braying and snorting in Parliament, just plain irritating and unprofessional. Heckling in session should be instant ejection from the chamber. This isn’t the 17th century any more.

I’m actually all in favour of more money being spent on our Parliament buildings, to turn them into a modern professional workplace. I also think the PM salary, and MP’s salaries, should be raised - pay peanuts and you get monkeys, and it isn’t enough for the work they are supposed to do. A ban on second jobs or second streams of income.

I would like MPs to complete a CV of their employment history mandatory for their campaign literature. I don’t want somebody who went to Oxford, spent 3 years at a think tank then became a government aide.

And I agree about the more candid answers, like ‘I don’t know’ or ‘much as I would like to do that, it simply isn’t cost effective’ or whatever. Stop patronising us and be honest.

Bar to be shut down, just a restaurant and coffee shop with zero alcohol. I can’t think of a single other workplace where drinking during work is encouraged or facilitated.

Agree with so many of you! Shall we start our own “sensible parents” party!

I’d like a party who helped those in genuine need, offered great opportunities to those who want to (eventually) support themselves, supported small/medium sized business owners and actually looked at/dealt with the ingrained issues with the NHS rather than just patching over the gaping holes occasionally.

Yep, I'll be voting for your party, OP. Can I add that it needs to be a party that will consider a complete overhaul of the education system and will actually listen to educators regarding what that should entail?

I want a decent centre-left party that gives a shit about people. Decent funding for education, early intervention when necessary, help for people who fall (or are at risk of falling) through life’s cracks. Surestart centres, good libraries, humane policies towards job seekers (no sanctions for not being able to afford travel etc). All of that being backed up with the firm idea that, with all necessary help available, there is no excuse for not helping yourself. I’m not up for people being able to opt out of personal responsibility.

But most of all, I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to see a party that not only does all of the above AND knows what a woman is, but is willing to protect women’s rights, safeties and identities.

I'd like a party that gave the HoC a female majority. I'd also look for:
Renationalisation of Critical National Infrastructure.
An end to prison sentences being cut short on the grounds of good behaviour - your sentence is your sentence, behave and that's what you will serve. Be an idiot and time gets added on.
Removal of MPs second home allowance and the building of accommodation for them instead.
Care work (both for children and the elderly) seen as a critical employment pathway and invested in accordingly. Costs reduced for childcare so that women have a genuine choice between staying at home and working.
Stop degrees being seen as the gold solution for all careers. Scrap pointless degrees (like groundskeeping) and bring back technical pathways for certain careers
Better investment in our military and an increase in our armed forces numbers.
Make drivers retake their driving test on a regular basis (10 years)
Bring in a minimum standard for new build developments which give decent green space to all occupants and stop homes being crammed in
Enforce section 106 funding regulations so that developers have to provide infra to the wider community when they build new properties

All of that being backed up with the firm idea that, with all necessary help available, there is no excuse for not helping yourself. I’m not up for people being able to opt out of personal responsibility.

This is exactly how I feel. Life is not ‘free’ yet there seem to be an awful lot of people who expect it to be, or expect a level of ‘support’ from the government which is vastly disproportionate to what is actually affordable in terms of public spending on just one person.

For example, mumsnet posters often want more breastfeeding support and seem incredulous that the government can’t see the potential for ‘saving money through the health benefits’. I worked out if we employed one solitary breastfeeding support worker per 100 pregnant women on 30k a year, that alone would cost 4 x the projected saving in health benefits. None of the posters seemed able to accept this, that money is an object sometimes and if something makes no return then the government aren’t obliged to spend it on nice-to-haves.

Equally the reasons for being out of work need examining. Nobody should be out of work because they’re ‘depressed’ or similar. I can see the need for being signed off on a reasonably short term basis through depression but not a life of doing nothing and being on benefits.

I know this will all be unpopular on here!

Agree. I’d like New Labour of 1997-2001 back please.

And grown ups running the country who understand gender identity is made up bollocks. Until that day comes, I’ll be spoiling my ballot.