How about some libertarianism for British politics?
With public apathy towards politics quite high (voter turnout was 71% in 1997, 59% in 2001, 61% in 2005); and little difference between the major parties who seem determined to fight for the ‘middle ground’; its time that the British political spectrum had a party that offered voters an actual choice.
There’s ‘room’ for a libertarian footing: smaller government, lower taxation, increased individual freedom – New Labour certainly hasn’t been the champion of the above, while the Conservatives have previously pledged to match the public spending of the Labour government. A libertarian party (not necessarily a new party – I was thinking more along the lines of a possible new direction for the Conservatives) would certainly have political ground to stand on:
• Paying the interest on the Government debt amounts to £30 Billion a year. To put this into perspective, the Government spends a similar amount on Defence (£32 billion) and Pubic Order and Safety (£33 Billion)
• For the most recent budget year, the Government earned £553 billion through taxation, yet Labour overspent by £34 Billion, receiving criticism from both domestic organisations and the European Commission. Budget deficits have become routine for Labour Budgets since 2002.
• Higher taxation has been blamed as the main reason for the UK becoming a worse location for business over the past years; with the UK having dropped from fourth to tenth in an international league of industrial competitiveness.
• The most recent government budget (£587 Billion), £189 billion is going towards Social Protection or personal social services. This does not include £104 Billion that goes towards the NHS.
• £21 Billion goes towards ‘industry, agriculture, employment and training’; in a country with little nationalised economic institutions and what should be a free market.
• Even assuming the maintaining of the basic state pension (costs roughly £40 Billion) and the NHS (£104 Billion), there is still potential for vast reductions in the welfare state, with the above deductions still leaving roughly £ 149 Billion spent by the government on social provisions.
• Membership of the European Union has been estimated to cost Britain £42 billion this year alone, with no tangible benefits. Free trade, (though the economic polices of the EU are not truly free trade), should not require participation in an expensive and inefficient organisation.
Information on the budget from here.
So what do fellow Brits think? How many would be willing to see a reduction in the Welfare State, in Cradle to Grave state care; in return for lower taxation, balanced budgets and limited government; and to what extent? Dismantle it completely; or leave the NHS and Pensions?
How about this as a possible direction fro the Conservative Party – by only promising to limit the Inheritance Tax the Conservatives gained a lot of support. Surely increased personal freedoms, further protection for those defend their property could only be popular. It would hardly be a radical change, indeed, the risk would probably come from those denouncing the change as a return to Thatcherism; an association David Cameron probably wouldn't want. In a recent speech at the University of Westminster the question of liberty was raised, with Gordon Brown saying that "liberty is not the only value we prize and not the only priority for government". With important issues being raised about what citizenship means; with discussion on a Bill of Rights and Responsibilities and constitutional reform; and continuing discussion on the relationship of Egland and Scotland in the United Kingdom - it seems that what defines Liberty and what the governments role should be in relation to its citizens are going to be increasingly important to the electorate.
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Originally Posted by Modern Life is Rubbish
