Progress Political Weekend Bursary Application

Below is the piece I sent  as my application for the Progress Political weekend bursary.

The question as asked was:   "What are the challenges an incoming Labour government will face in 2015 and what choices will it have to make?"  and I won.

This isn't put here to brag, it's my view on what should happen but it's also put here to hopefully help anyone thinking of doing the same.

I live with dyslexia an while it was hard to do, if I can do it, apply and win then anyone thinking of giving it a go should.

The piece:

The biggest challenges an incoming Labour Government will have to make will relate to the economy and whether or not it will progress its principals to meet any challenges it faces head on not just with a pragmatic approach, that will cause internal division but also with an honesty that will carry public opinion with it, when the problems it is more than likely to face will be bigger than the previous incumbents.

In 2012 it is not possible to predict global economics but solutions for the UK can be investigated.

There will be a real need for stimulator's for our economic growth and while those stimulator's do not need to be generated from cuts, some of the less favourable tax options will have to be viewed as a positive development and recruitment tool, than a negative appeasement to accommodate business and used, to make the UK a place for business to be.

There is real scope for the much maligned quantitative easing to be used as a development investment tool, with loan repayments including share options.

There will be a significant need to look at how we deliver infrastructure with partial re-nationalisation becoming an investment option, seen and explained in the same way oversees development is.

We can invest in housing stock, in mortgage and loan provision to pay for it and in energy and transport and have the nation see the same returns as major companies are doing.

We will need to look at social care and how it is paid for and establish if an increase in national insurance can aid provision, even if it requires social care to be brought into the NHS.

We will also have to grasp the nettle of benefit provision and turn it into an enabler, with arguments on issues relating to exploitation challenged and dismissed, with the system turned from the current paid for nothing to a more productive scheme akin to workfare. The progressive aim being that work skills, education or training levels be introduced, maintained or developed for all those who are able to work.

Those enablers introduced and overseen correctly should eventually see a reduction in the benefit bill.

The realities are a system can be developed that does not exploit, which can elevate every concern Unions etc. have and we should be willing to carry out the changes needed, even if the development process makes it uncomfortable with its supporters and or TUC.

ALL Overseas aid will have to be scrutinised and explained, with considerable thought given to process delivery, the availability of surplus stock not monies and infrastructure requirement assessed along with the beneficial goal to the UK given prior to any obligations being made.

There will also be a very real need to establish if political motivations to revert to previous policies, or re establishing bodies scrapped etc. can merit actual costs, for example the removal of PCC’s, or if systems introduced, even if failing, can be maintained but better utilised under our control.

While a Labour Government does not necessarily have to be seen as something that makes the public sector grow beyond its payments capabilities it should in no way be concerned in increasing its payments to the sector as long as those payments are investments in its future that will return profits.