A Manifesto for 2024

[Witton Park]

Feel free to go back over the energy topic, but by special request I will move on to Immigration which is under the Home Office.

Here are my proposals which I expect will need some fleshing out, but I'll see what issues are raised and take it from there.

The Home Office

The Government will commence a prison building programme.

A sentence will be the sentence. There will be no time off for good behaviour, only time added for bad behaviour.

Prison life will be about education and training.

Staffing and security will be beefed up in prison.

Support for Victims of Crime will be expanded and enhanced.

A full review of what crimes are on the statute. It is a mess, as anyone familiar with non-crime hate incidents will appreciate.

Immigration

If "Rwanda Scheme" is in place, it will be scrapped.

Anyone adult from overseas currently in the UK without leave to be here will have a one year window to apply free of charge for a 5 year residency, and then be able to extend for a second period of 3 years to enable them to apply for UK residency.

After 8 years if they have not been granted UK nationality they must leave the UK unless they have a legal approval to stay.

If breaking the law during the residency period, they must leave the UK and any application for UK citizenship will be terminated.

Immigration visas will only be issued on a two out one in basis during the Parliament.

An online portal will be set up where all marine craft not registered in the UK but wishing to enter will need to register.

The Royal Navy will patrol the channel with Border Force to ensure no unregistered marine craft enter British waters and will be returned from where they came.

Two Embassies on the European mainland will be set up to process asylum claimants.

Changes will be made to the student visa scheme to stop abuse.

If any of these policies fall foul of any treaties or laws that have previously been entered in to, then measures will be taken to ensure that these measures have primacy.

[noel]

It's telling that some your suggestions look left-wing in comparison to the current government policies.

That's not meant to be an insult to you, BTW.

I'd challenge the bit about prisoners not being released early. I agree that "good behaviour" shouldn't be a reason for early release. But if education and training results in people no longer being considered a risk to society and having a good chance to make a positive benefit to society then early release could be considered - depending on the crime of course (society demands that there be an element of punishment as well as just rehabilitation).

"Immigration visas will only be issued on a two out one in basis during the Parliament."

That's really hard to run sensibly. There was a gentleman discussing this on the wireless the other day - David Aaronovitch on The Briefing Room I think. Would you have a waiting list? How would you prioritise people on the waiting list? How would you stop the waiting list building up?

But again, I'm picking holes rather than making alternative suggestions. Immigration is a really tricky topic. For me the "problem" (if you see it as one) is that economy is set up to rely on immigration. Without cheap skilled labour from abroad, who would man our care system or large parts of the NHS? If we want to reduce immigration, we need to talk about wages, careers, conditions and training.

This is more long-term. And I suspect you'll get onto that as part of the other departments' manifestos.

Here's a question to you: if you were to stand with your current manifesto, what type of constituency do you think give you the best chance of being elected? I'm thinking former industrial provincial towns. How about Northampton North? Bellweather constituency, and you could maximise your links to the shoe industry.

[Witton Park]

Here's a question to you: if you were to stand with your current manifesto, what type of constituency do you think give you the best chance of being elected? I'm thinking former industrial provincial towns. How about Northampton North? Bellweather constituency, and you could maximise your links to the shoe industry.

Probably red wall Noel. I see myself as small c conservative policies with some social support in key areas, particularly trying to improve the lot for those working at or around minimum wage, who I think have been the most shafted over the last 30 years.

I'm perceived as right wing, but as you can see on energy I'm suggesting building up the state run energy company to manage nuclear and I'd like to bring water and rail back in to public ownership although I'm not proposing that as a policy because I think it can be done by default, as rail franchises come to an end, and as water companies fail as Thames looks to be doing.
It might seem underhand not to announce, but you can imagine the share price would head north if it was public knowledge, just as the gold price headed south when Gordon Brown announced to the world he would be selling our gold.
In some respects William Clouston's SDP is closest to me and I have engaged with him - I disagree on housing - not a deal breaker.

We already have a "waiting list" for visas technically speaking. The Government has a cap and criteria that have to be met, it's just that they've blown the bloody doors off and only told us after the event.

And yes, I realise it will have an effect on labour and I will deal with that. We have 10 million part-time workers and 6 million "economically inactive" of working age and we need to better use them.
I will bring forward some thoughts on that next.

And consider, we have quite a few migrants in the UK that are unable to work at the moment. My proposals above moves them from dependants in supported accommodation to employees paying their way.

In addition to helping out the labour market, it should help reduce spending and increase tax revenue so that I can afford the billions for the nuclear programme

In terms of the visa limitations, it's very simple for me.

Our country is under immense pressure.

All services stretched. School places stretched. Housing stretched. All political parties are holding a bidding war on how many houses they are going to build.

We are only having to do that because our population increases by a city bigger than Bristol each year.

A "two out one in" policy will reduce that pressure.

Consider we have around 500,000 per year leaving at the moment (so 250k would be able to come in next year) so this isn't a stop on immigration, but a form management of it and a message to employers to use the pool of labour we have here more effectively and do something to train up your own.

[Witton Park]

I'd challenge the bit about prisoners not being released early. I agree that "good behaviour" shouldn't be a reason for early release. But if education and training results in people no longer being considered a risk to society and having a good chance to make a positive benefit to society then early release could be considered - depending on the crime of course (society demands that there be an element of punishment as well as just rehabilitation).

Just on this Noel, if a perp gets say 4 year + now, they have probably already demonstrated that they are a risk to society.
Note we still have majority support in the UK for the death penalty. I'm not a fan. So we have to make sure there is public confidence in the system. Currently I lack that confidence. I feel it favours the perp over the victim and I want to address that.

[anthonykay]

I'm perceived as right wing, but as you can see on energy I'm suggesting building up the state run energy company to manage nuclear and I'd like to bring water and rail back in to public ownership although I'm not proposing that as a policy because I think it can be done by default, as rail franchises come to an end, and as water companies fail as Thames looks to be doing.

Royal Mail is another organisation that needs to be back in public ownership. The obligation to deliver to every address in the UK at the same price is essential, but it is also inconsistent with operating in a free market.

An anecdote relevant to this: my wife has been using Evri for sending parcels; it is often cheaper than Royal Mail when you want to have tracking, etc. However, she has just sent a Christmas present to the Isle of Wight, and found that Evri charged nearly double what it cost to the Mainland; so that one went by Royal Mail.

[Graham Breeze]

Royal Mail is another organisation that needs to be back in public ownership. The obligation to deliver to every address in the UK at the same price is essential, but it is also inconsistent with operating in a free market.

The "same price" principal means it is now the same (£2.20) to send by Royal Mail, say, a Xmas card to Spain and the USA.

[Witton Park]

Royal Mail is another organisation that needs to be back in public ownership. The obligation to deliver to every address in the UK at the same price is essential, but it is also inconsistent with operating in a free market.

An anecdote relevant to this: my wife has been using Evri for sending parcels; it is often cheaper than Royal Mail when you want to have tracking, etc. However, she has just sent a Christmas present to the Isle of Wight, and found that Evri charged nearly double what it cost to the Mainland; so that one went by Royal Mail.

thanks for the heads up. I use Evri/Hermes every day and it must be new as I shipped to IoW fairly recently with them and it was standard rate.
They are much better than say DPD/DHL for premium rates to remote areas - Highlands and Islands for example starts much higher up than the other couriers, but I suppose the reality hits eventually.

Just as an aside, Royal Mail Tracked 48 currently averaging about 5 days, Evri standard averaging 3/4 days.

I tend to agree on Royal Mail - should never have been floated and we now see a chasm between RM and the PO as the RM offers online rates that undercut the PO and the PO have started alliances with DPD and Evri.

[anthonykay]

A few days ago, a letter arrived at our house from Rishi Sunak himself, explaining his policies. Nothing unusual about party leaders sending out propaganda when there is an election on the horizon. But what was interesting about this letter was that it was addressed to my wife and my son. The Conservative Party have clearly done their research, and realised that there is no point in trying to convince me to vote for them.

[Llani Boy]

A few days ago, a letter arrived at our house from Rishi Sunak himself, explaining his policies. Nothing unusual about party leaders sending out propaganda when there is an election on the horizon. But what was interesting about this letter was that it was addressed to my wife and my son. The Conservative Party have clearly done their research, and realised that there is no point in trying to convince me to vote for them.

I hope you don't feel left out Anthony but no need to worry as Mr Farage will no doubt be in contact in the New Year

[Graham Breeze]

The Conservative Party have clearly done their research, and realised that there is no point in trying to convince me to vote for them.

Which suggests to me it should continue to run our wonderful country. Particularly in the absence of any sensible alternative.