|
Over-centralised, distant and inefficient government
Liberal Democrats will scrap the ‘Whitehall knows best’ rules and targets that mess up and delay decisions about key issues. Local people will be set free to make the key decisions about their area and about improving local services, with real powers and responsibilities devolved to local communities and their councils.
And remember, ‘he who pays the piper calls the tune’. Over 80% of local spending is negotiated directly and in detail with unelected officials in London, down to each, school improvement project and each significant road investment !
Council Tax bears no relation to people’s ability to pay and penalises pensioners and people on low incomes, who pay a far higher proportion of their income in tax than the very rich. Liberal Democrats would scrap Council Tax and replace it with Local Income Tax, which is fair and affordable. We will return Business Rates to local control so local people decide how their locally raised taxes are spent.
The UK planning system is daft beyond belief, as North West Leicestershire residents know very well !!! In our area the phrase ’20 years to develop a ten year plan that is never implemented’ has become widely popular.
Liberal democrats will radically reform the centralizing rules, over-long & over-complex planning processes and crazy ‘housing targets’ that have held back development in NW Leics. A local income tax will help make this possible.
Muddled and secretive government We all know about the ‘surveillance society’ and out-of-control snooping local councils and national ministries. But exactly what is the power of the civil servants and bureaucrats over us ? |
 |
No-one knows. There is no UK constitution, and unlike every other modern country, not even a civil service law ! The limits on the activities of bureaucrats to rule over us, are not clear, and this is a dangerous situation in these hi-tech times.
Few British people for example realise that lots of types of ‘corrupt’ civil servant behaviours which are illegal in other European countries, are perfectly legal in the UK !!! So the Liberal Democrats will put this right, and make the government more efficient and much more accountable. |
|
 |
We will involve the British people in producing a written constitution, and a civil service law. This would reform and reinvigorate the democratic process, putting individuals back in control.
Liberal Democrats will simplify the system for petitioning Parliament and ensure petitions are considered and acted upon.
We will establish a fair, proportional voting system for elections to
Westminster and local government. We will reform the House of Lords, replacing it with an elected second house. |
Liberal Democrats will establish much more transparent and open government with stronger Freedom of Information legislation. The Data Protection Act will be reformed to reflect more accurately the nature of today’s surveillance society. We will increase the accountability of the Information Commission and review its funding.
Liberal Democrats will introduce legislation to protect our most important liberties. We will remove the right of the state to retain DNA records of people who do not have a criminal record, and protect Courts’ independence. We will also scrap ID cards, because we want the government to justify itself to us, not us justify ourselves to the government ! That is NOT the British way.
|
 |
No other party supports so strongly the public’s desire for better and more efficient government.
The UK government these days is like a driverless juggernaut, out of control, and the British people feel this in their bones right now. Liberal Democrats will ensure that there is a driver firmly in control. That driver is you.
|
‘You ! Where are your papers ?’
Stop the expensive ID card scheme ! |
|
