Build a Better Britain with Lord Grit - Foundations

FOUNDATIONS

Before any 'building' can begin, we should first clear the site. In 1973, Ted Heath withheld crucial information; this was very likely also excluded from the Wilson referendum of 1975. If this nation had been aware they would lose control of their borders, their judiciary, and fishing rights, they would never have voted to go into Europe. The debate was billed as the 'Common Market', it deliberately failed to disclose the political union with the EU, who plan to absorb all member nations in a super-state, with its own army.

The referendum of 23 June 2016 restored our sovereign powers; they must never be given away. We must shape and forge our own destiny.

This nation was built by the hard work and sacrifices of the ordinary people; many men built fortunes on the backs of the poor. Millions died fighting for our liberty and independence. In the First World War, the Germans said our troops were “Lions led by Donkey's”.

Who is leading us now?

Democracy gives every vote the same status as the bullet; not one soldier was ever asked if he was intelligent enough to die. Each year we honour our war dead, and these wars were not waged for economic gain, they were fought for our freedom, our independence as a sovereign state; and lives given for Queen and country.

Once more, it will be the hard work of 'ordinary people' who will build the Better Britain; it requires new tax laws to favour them, not the super rich. Common sense tells people they cannot build on weak foundations. The 'Oath of Allegiance' has to be cemented in, giving legal protection to the Sovereignty of our Queen, her dominions, and all citizens that live therein.

The wording of the 'Oath' has to make this crystal clear...

OBJECTIVES

Building this Better Britain will have a greater purpose than mere wealth creation. It will give birth to a new society, defined as, “the willing gathering together, of like minded people, for generally acceptable purposes”, this will ensure nationwide support. At the forefront will be improvements in the quality of life for British citizens, opening the doors of opportunity and encouraging personal development. This 'New Britain' will be founded on four words:

1.   Honesty

2.   Responsibility

3.   Ambition

4.   Courage

These four words will have a prominent place in our politics, religions, schools; and most of all, in the parenting process of our children. Other words with similar meaning, will define our 'character', and encourage pride in all who help to bring about this 'Better Britain'.

PEPP is the key equation, 'People + Enterprise = Prosperity and Progress', human algebra well understood by Ronald Reagan. The mutual benefits of the free exchange of goods and services between Britain and Europe is valued and appreciated by those involved, but the EU, whose avowed objective is to shape the political face of Europe, are turning trade into a cartel. Britain and other nations are being swallowed up for political purposes, and the prosperity gained from the market presence, is being used to demand acceptance of a political future beyond our control; it is blackmail. Sadly, British politics, with divisive squabbles on every issue, poor leadership and government fudge, make the EU attractive to  young people,  desperate to be rid of sclerotic Westminster. Only after fundamental changes in the way it is governed, will Britain enjoy the nationwide support and consistent effort, essential for improvements in the quality of goods and services, a key part in the building process.

Politicians have to understand the purpose of their job. It is to look after the electorate and the nations interests. The delegation of this responsibility to outside control must end. To help MP's concentrate on their constituent’s welfare, each MP should get a £75,000 pay rise, and use it to create a local secretariat, the first contact for their constituents. The general feeling of most working people is that they are being put last. It is an essential requirement of building this 'Better Britain' that they are put first. Government departments, the utilities, and big business, are all organising citizens to suit their own purposes, this must immediately be reversed, they must organise themselves to suit us, we who live here.

British people want rewards beyond wages. They would love to be relieved from the stress of commuting, thus going in and out of London and other big cities should be made efficient, reliable, and comfortable. Cancel HS2 that benefits a few thousand, and benefit millions by spending the £80 billion, eliminating traffic bottle necks and train delays. Remove the frustrations and delays of organising our private lives, “I'm sorry, all our operators are busy”, or “there is a ten minute queue”, may save the company a few pounds in wages, but these delays cost billions in lost working hours.  Let us think of the end user, improve doctor’s appointments, eliminate telephone queues, and answer letters within 48 hours.

It takes the German workforce four days to produce what British workers produce in five.

Reducing this gap by one hour per week is equal to adding £15 billion a year to our GDP. If our workforce was able to be as efficient as the Germans, it could add £120 billion per annum to our GDP, a far far greater sum than any benefit from EU membership. This enables the 'New Britain' to be built on increased income, not on increased borrowing. As a reward, each £15 billion gain in GDP, should result in a £1.000 raise of the tax threshold. The target level for this threshold should be £1,000 above the minimum living wage.

Essential businesses and services must remain under our control, and our utilities brought back to British ownership. To build this 'Empire of the Mind', we have to build and retain the high tech industries, where the 'means of production' is now a fifth factor of production. Creative industries attract people with similar skills. Three young British men have been under investigation by the FBI, for 'hacking' into US state web sites - is this not clear evidence of special IT skills? Allowing sales of vital industries, means that instead of collecting the golden eggs, we are selling the beanstalk; and losing the ability to build an 'Empire of the Mind'. Is this not obvious?

Let the 'negotiations' that must follow the referendum result, be printed bold and clear in the national and regional newspapers. We have lost trust in politicians, we know secrecy helped Heath and Wilson sell us down the river, and Mrs May must not be allowed to take us on a similar voyage.

Uncertainty and delays are costing this nation billions. At zero cost, with possible massive business and political gain, Mrs May could; 1.Make the negotiations public, 2.Pay the EU grants direct, 3. Reinstate our fishing industry; purchase and lease fishing boats, and feed the fish with our waste food. 4. Order new Blue British passports from a UK printing firm. These positive actions will cost nothing, but removing doubt will yield enormous gains, business plans can be made, giving a tremendous, much needed boost to morale and production.

17.3 million voted to leave the EU, they did not vote to  join a three year blind queue. It was not a request, it was an instruction. All politicians should understand the electorate want effective government from Westminster, and let those who ignore their own oaths, disrespect democratic rights, or in other ways serve us badly, be very aware they will be replaced.

NOW TO THE PLANS

HOUSING - There are thousands of family homes with single elderly occupants, some on housing benefit. Because this is the only 'saving', and one which may increase in value, they remain in it for the sake of their children's inheritance. Could they not be offered continued ownership with a tax free rental deal, and paid a pension supplement to live in a flat for single occupancy? Thus they retain the capital value, increase their income, can move closer to their family; and a family home becomes available. Why not pay children to have their parents live with them? Instead of selling social housing, offer young people a 'rent to buy' scheme, and after four or five years of regular rent payment, give them a rebate of 75% of total rent paid, and pay this direct to a building society as their deposit on a house. This will free up social housing, the building society will have a deposit, plus proof of regular payments, making it easier to grant a mortgage.

JOBS - On leaving school, any young person unable to find a job, should be given six months work with a large company; manning telephones has many vacancies. This gives them the chance to earn some money, and get accustomed to going into work on time, an essential reference in a later job application. In the workplace, there needs to be a worker/employer compact, where both understand the mutual benefits of consistent effort fairly rewarded.

TAXATION - Taxation is intended to equitably share the costs of the state, each unto their means. The priority is to bring the tax threshold up to a level equal to the living wage. If this is set at £250 per week, how can an employee be taxed on income below this level? The next priority is to reduce all the abuses by the giants of industry, the very rich, and the high earners. The basic rule should be that if you earn money or make profits in this country, you pay taxes in this country. There is huge abuse of the 'offshore' and 'domicile' status. The government should employ some accountant 'Tax poachers' and turn them into 'gamekeepers', fight like with like. If we got back £10 billion of this money, and upped the tax threshold by a like amount, in addition to benefitting the workforce, it could boost the economy by £25 billion per annum Now that we are out of the EU, we can turn off the tax tap; please don't let the billions drip away, turn the tap off now

EDUCATION - Ideally, it should begin with the news of pregnancy, a time when expectant parents should wonder about the emotional needs and creative abilities of their child, what sort of person baby will become. The words, 'honesty, responsibility, ambition, and courage' can be applied to the upbringing of all children; it should be the foundation of their 'British' character. Most babies have a desire to learn, they want to be like us, and this natural growing up process in the under fives, deserves far greater encouragement. Parents should be aware of this, and support given to open the doors of life for all very young children. They will then enjoy school much more, and be easier to teach. Throughout their school life, lessons on human standards, music, art, politics, and religions will continue to open their minds, allowing a wider  'education' to flow and grow in their minds, creating well rounded young people.

HEALTH - Health should concentrate more on teaching people the benefits of exercise, good food, hygiene, a sensible lifestyle, the avoidance of harmful substances, and being responsible for their health. However; we cannot predict when we will be sick or injured, and we need medical attention to be available on demand. Hospitals and doctors have to get tough with missed appointments, and the waiting lists should include any instantly available replacements. Suspicions are that some lateral thinking and weekend working by surgeons would lead to fewer cancelled operations. The waiting lists must be reduced, and life threatening operations not delayed. A management format applicable to all hospitals, if introduced and regularly discussed by management and medical staff, will bring them all up to similar high levels of efficiency. Central buying would save billions, and proper home care of the elderly release many beds. Here is an opportunity to offer financial incentives to grown children who wish to nurse their elderly parent.

TRANSPORT - Improvements to our road and rail services are essential to commuters and goods transport, where delays cost billions. General improvements are a much greater priority than HS2, and will free up some two hours of productive work, giving the economy a £30 billion per annum boost; and another lift of £2,000 in the tax threshold. In about four years of war, 50 operational airfields were built in East Anglia, plus thousands of reinforced concrete Pill Boxes. We are now told it will take TEN years to build a runway at Heathrow!! Let us celebrate our Independence, by building London Medway, a new three runway airport in the Thames estuary, and build it within three years. If Mr Churchill could throw up 50 airfields and 1,000 pill boxes in four years without modern equipment, then surely our current contractors can build one airport in less than three years? But it is not the constructors who are at fault; it is the political fudge and prevarication, with plans and talks likely to take three or more years. But that is the 'Old Britain'... the New Britain wants things done, and we want them done 'Now',

INDUSTRY - The 'Empires of the Mind' are here, and we have to use and retain the brains of this New Britain'. We should make plans for the generation of electricity, the improvement of water and sewerage, and the dredging and general tidying up of our waterways. Perhaps a new company, British Utilities Ltd, will offer 1.5 % pa on all deposits of £1,000 and multiples thereof. and buy back blocks of shares in the utilities owned by foreign companies, eventually taking control of all utilities. We should stop the sale of all strategic and high tech industries, we need to exploit our home grown innovation and invention; ideas are at the cutting edge of all advancement. A department of Manchester University, has discovered a way of transporting electricity at the speed of light; we must develop this here; and now.

ENVIRONMENT - A 'responsible' nation has to care for its environment, and set standards of human behaviour that become inbred. We 'Humans', the superior animal, are here as custodians of our planet, and for all the creatures on it, and this responsibility should be automatic, the same as wiping our bums. Plastic bags and pesticides indiscriminately kill wild creatures; just ask yourself, 'what does God think of this?' He cannot possibly approve. Animal husbandry has to be conducted to human standards, not at the endurance limits of the creatures involved. They might not know better; but we do.

AGRICULTURE AND FISHING - We will take control of grants and subsidies - our money currently distributed by the EU - and must then weigh distribution in favour of the small farmers. Right now, the government should tell them we will do this and then they can clear other small plots for crops, and build premises for animals. Care of the land, natural manure, proper drainage, planting trees; all form a part of land care.

If we can build two aircraft carriers, then we can build a fishing fleet. If we can feed and farm molluscs off the South coast, then we can feed the bottom end of the marine chain with our waste food. Put it all in a massive blender, and pipe it out to fish 'crèches' in our offshore shallows. This will restore our fish stocks and increase them over previous levels. It will also reduce the need for landfill sites. Home produced meat, home grown vegetables, fresh fish from our seas; these measures will lift our GDP and contribute to the health of the people.

DEFENCE - The independent New Britain has to have an adequate defence, and share it by a treaty with our EU friends. The armed forces should have a peacetime purpose, and that is to clear the oceans of waste, and war ravaged countries of mines. We want to set an example, show the world we care, and get them on our side. Joining these clear up expeditions might be a good experience for young offenders and perhaps jobless youths would enjoy the adventure, which could also be part of our educational process. Perhaps a better use for overseas aid?

HOUSE OF LORDS - This body of people need to be halved in number. In the light of their opposition to democracy, perhaps not the well deserved cull, but a more life enhancing 'retirement'. In the Better Britain' the members of this house, will be elected by the people, and perhaps given some specific purposes on nationally beneficial projects. The House of Commons is about as much 'politics' as the electorate can endure. The Lords should not frustrate progress for political ends; instead, they could take an overview of what is in the National interest, such as an all party agreement on the new 'London Medway' airport. The New Britain needs a few enforcers to get things done, and the process of ‘Building a Better Britain', cannot allow traditional political fudge and inertia, the people are crying out for change.

JUSTICE - Justice has to be swift, fair and British. We make our own laws, both in parliament and in court. 17.4 million people were not impressed by the High Court decision regarding the referendum result. Any law that impeded the will of the people should have been adjudged obsolete. The justice’s first task will be to confirm that the Oath of Allegiance by MP's is valid at law. Any MP that breeches it will be suspended and liable in court. Included in that oath should be definitions of the words 'democracy', and 'treason'.

FIRM FOUNDATIONS - Never again will politicians be allowed to surrender Great Britain to a foreign power.

Blessings, Blossoms and Love

Frederick C Webb, Lord Grit and The Archpip Plumtree

THE AUTHOR - Born to a Suffolk farm worker, educated at the village school and Sudbury Grammar, this youngest child of a family of five, served his National Service, worked abroad, and travelled widely. He has met people from all walks of life, the rich the poor - of which he is one - and people of many nationalities and religions. He is the creator of Lord Grit, a character with an unconditional love of the human race, and conceived the Plumtree Faith; not a religion, 'Heaven forefend'; but some illuminating thoughts on what God might think of His children's quaint and irrational behaviour.