New Industrial Strategy
UK economic productivity is worse than countries like USA, France & Germany, and has grown more slowly since the 2008 banking crash too.
Previous Government strategies have bet on new technologies to put this right, without solving the underlying problems which are slowing us down in the first place. Instead Britain needs a Thatcher-sized ‘top 5 in all 5’ programme of supply-side reforms to propel Britain into the top 5 G20 nations for cheap and abundant supplies of five foundational elements of industrial success:
- business & residential premises
- energy
- skilled labour
- infrastructure
- investment capital.
Better Rail Services
Rail travel has changed because of home working and growing demand for low-carbon travel. But even though passengers are behaving differently, the industry isn’t: it gobbles big taxpayer subsidies; runs too many mostly empty trains; has low staff morale; and suffers frequent strikes from politicised trade unions.
It doesn’t have to be this way. No-one should be offering electors a ghastly choice of going back to dreadful 1970s renationalised British Rail, or to failed noughties franchising. There’s a proven alternative which passengers already prefer to the big and increasingly state-run monopoly services which let them down so often. So let’s do that instead.
Slashing Red Tape
Every £££ of red tape costs has the same effect on our economic growth, productivity and export competitiveness as £££ taken through tax.
We ought to control this ‘regulatory burden’ as carefully as every other type of public spending but, because the money doesn’t have to be raised through taxation, Governments behave as though it is free.
The Chancellor’s Fiscal Rules should include limits on all red tape costs for the first time ever, in the same way as we have always limited taxpayer-funded spending and borrowing. This will create a strong, permanent anti-red tape ratchet, cutting the cost of living & making us more competitive abroad.
A Nation of Capitalists
State Pension costs are becoming unsustainable because of our ageing population, as a smaller-and-smaller working age population has to pay for a larger-and-larger cohort of pensioners.
There is a better long-term answer. Replacing our current State Pension with an upgraded version of the existing Government ‘NEST’ workplace pension scheme will provide a more comfortable, secure and proudly-independent retirement; reduce pensioner poverty; increase UK savings & investment; & prevent the welfare state from going bust.
Cheaper Energy
UK energy costs are already amongst the highest in the world and current Government policies will make them even more expensive; limit household choices (for example by forcing people to buy particular types of cars or home heating); and cost jobs, investment and growth by creating higher costs for UK firms compared to rivals in other countries.
This policy summary outlines how to get Britain moving again with cheaper, cleaner energy in future.
Taxpayer Net Worth
Successive governments have hidden true taxpayer costs by ignoring big long-term liabilities like state pensions.
Taxpayer Net Worth calls for new fiscal measures that include these missing figures, painting an honest picture of our national finances for the first time & preventing Government Ministers from leaving today’s bills for our children & grandchildren to pay.
Conservative MP Culture Reset
The Conservative Parliamentary Party hasn’t been working as an effective team. Loyalty, integrity, good skills or subject knowledge have counted for less than factional affiliations or personal friendships.
The result has been a consequence-free culture amongst some Conservative MPs, where bad behaviour didn’t harm their prospects, and good didn’t improve them.
We can reform the culture of the Conservative Parliamentary Party, using tried & trusted leadership & management techniques which are normal in well-run organisations in the real world outside politics.