May 22, 2024 [Uncategorized]

Renew: I was just discussing this with my son and I really want to emphasize:

It does make a difference who is in power.

The previous Labor government significantly improved primary education and many other public services. Do not give up!

The following are the criteria I will use to choose which party to vote for in the 2024 UK Election.

Competence

I will vote against the Conservative Party because the party has proven incompetent in managing the economy and public services.

Ideological blindness

I would vote against the Conservative Party because its policies are driven by blind ideology (e.g. the Truss economic disaster) and/or perceived prejudice by their core voters (e.g. their “send them to Rwanda” immigration policy).

Public service

I will vote for a party that I believe is committed to improving public services, particularly the NHS, education and prisons. This includes not only disbursing funds where available, but also good-faith efforts to change work practices and improve working conditions and outcomes for patients, students, and prisoners.

As a bonus, I would like to see water companies and rail services gradually transition to public control. Transport For London offers an excellent model for public/private partnerships in the rail sector. The water is a real mess so I am looking for a party willing to take ownership to fix the water and waste management issues.

Climate

I will vote for a party that I believe is willing to invest optimistically in the energy transition to realize climate and economic benefits by quickly achieving significant progress. I want regulations and financial incentives that punish behavior that creates pollution and carbon emissions and invest in innovation.

Immigration

I will vote for a party that I trust to speak honestly on immigration: we benefit economically from immigration, and we depend on immigration in many areas, not least universities. We must manage economic migration, seek to integrate communities and work with local councils to provide housing and public services where people come. Pretending that we don’t need immigrants leaves us unable to address the real pressures created by the arrival of large numbers of immigrants in certain regions.

We must establish safe routes for refugees to travel to the UK, and we must act urgently to process the backlog of asylum applications. We must clear the backlog if we are to prevent false asylum claims. It may even be necessary to declare an amnesty if that is the only way to resolve the backlog.

Foreign policy

I would vote for a party that has a mature attitude toward foreign policy: responding to threats from hostile actors like Russia, and speaking out on human rights issues. I remember when there was a debate about whether apartheid in South Africa was “our business”. History has shown that this is our business, and we should apply maximum non-military pressure to end apartheid. I believe the situation in Israel/Palestine will be viewed similarly in hindsight, and we must act now with public statements, trade sanctions, and legal action.

We must use our influence to advocate for the oppressed around the world, and (of course) we must lead by example with the highest standards of justice in our own countries.

We must stop arms sales to Saudi Arabia and Israel and significantly tighten regulations around arms sales to countries that engage in military actions that fail to minimize harm to civilians.

Housing area

I will vote for a party that is willing to make the changes necessary to provide more homes. This would involve changing regulations to make it easier to build homes, and providing incentives to build homes, rather than sit on land. This will most likely also involve the government or council building and renting out quality homes at low rental prices.

Bonus: universal basic income

I’d like to see someone propose a serious plan for universal basic income. Our benefits system already recognizes everyone’s right to food, housing, water and other services.

Our health system gives everyone the freedom to plan their future lives without fear of huge bills if something goes wrong. Let’s give everyone the same freedom that if their job or business idea fails, they can still survive. Imagine the explosion of innovation and artistic expression that could emerge from this freedom!