If I was Prime Minister I would.....

[Never-In-Doubt]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Ooops read whole thread first niddy (sorreeeee)!

[pompeyfaith]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Child Benefit (as we now call it) was first introduced at the end of WW2 under the Family Allowances Act 1945. I can't say whether "people managed without it before then" but maybe you can.

It's always paid direct to the mother and not the father of a child which may tell you something about the necessity for this subsidy and the prevalence of feckless fathers.

It is no longer paid to just mothers, but both as my name is on the award too.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

You're wrong with your first statement (that bit about I was talking "Crap") because I was relying on Cabinet Papers in the National Archives:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...ld-benefit.htm

You're right with your second statement when you ask: "are you intimating that if it was paid to fathers it would be wasted". Yes I am.

The problem with that statement though is you are taring all fathers with the same brush when in fact the majority of fathers are decent respectable citizens just like mothers.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

But those are now what are considered a necessity rather than luxury (maybe not internet)

Children are neither, thats a personal choice in most cases.

I'd say internet is now a necessity and more so come April 2013 when universal credit can only be applied for online.

[BBoo]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

I'd say internet is now a necessity and more so come April 2013 when universal credit can only be applied for online.

Access to the internet may be a necessity,but that doesn't mean it has to be at home, costing money.

[Undercover Elsa]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Great thread Bboo!

If I was pm I'd legislate that personal unsecured debt not carrying the warning "Your home could be at risk if you do not keep up repayments" could not be enforced via Charging Order or Statutory Demand.

I'd also reduce the Limitation Period to 3 years, effective immediately, which would effectively be a reprieve for those, like myself and many on here, who suffered at the hands of the banks from the credit crunch in 2008 and beyond.

[The Tech Clerk]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Not everyone lives in a city where you can just pop round to your nearest free WiFi spot or cafe.
Agree 100%

Just to recap:-

STATUTE BARRED DEBT COLLECTION - e-petitions

[pompeyfaith]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Access to the internet may be a necessity,but that doesn't mean it has to be at home, costing money.

But that depends if you are well enough to get to a library and/or JC+ office

[BBoo]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Great thread Bboo!

If I was pm I'd legislate that personal unsecured debt not carrying the warning "Your home could be at risk if you do not keep up repayments" could not be enforced via Charging Order or Statutory Demand.

I'd also reduce the Limitation Period to 3 years, effective immediately, which would effectively be a reprieve for those, like myself and many on here, who suffered at the hands of the banks from the credit crunch in 2008 and beyond.

Hear! Hear!

Not everyone lives in a city where you can just pop round to your nearest free WiFi spot or cafe.
Agree 100%

But that depends if you are well enough to get to a library and/or JC+ office

Fair points - I withdraw that!

OMG, I've started doing U Turns already, I've only be pm for 12 hours!

[BBoo]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Get rid of the compensation culture and accept accidents do happen - compensate genuine victims only.

Let Headteachers do their jobs and get their staff to teach. Give THEM the responsibility (and duty) to sack teachers who, after support, continue to fail. If they don't do it, sack them. Let teachers discipline children without any fear of reprisal.

Shut down all 'Cottage Industry' which feeds off the back off Government Depatments and make SENSIBLE cuts to Civil Service and other similar types of public funded jobs.

A controversial one possibly - Stop all aid to other countries until ours is back on its feet. Look after NO. 1 first, and only then look outwards.

[PlanB]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

It is no longer paid to just mothers, but both as my name is on the award too.

I should have clarified that I was referring to the 2,000,000 single parent families in this country where unsurprisingly the overwhelming majority are women, which brought me to my point about feckless fathers. I'm sure you're a brilliant Dad Pompey

[pompeyfaith]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

I would tackle the landlords to bring in fair affordable rents, I would tackle care homes to charge affordable caring, I would tackle employers to pay a living wage, see where I am going here this govt is taking the easy option and not addressing the route courses.

And yes I would bring back the married couples tax allowance.

[BBoo]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

And a stupid, but serious question - Why do we have to have inflation? If everyone agreed on permanent price freezes, wouldn't inflation cease to exist?

Pompey's idea which relies on affordable housing for affordable rents etc... becomes much more viable then.

[pompeyfaith]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Unaffordable rents in the main extend from the wealthy who can afford to buy up houses and thus rent them out at obscene cost to the working classes it is called greediness.

Furthermore I would scrape this second homes MP's get in London at great cost to the taxpayer and would invest in a block of apartments for them to stay in whilst in London trying to do there duties as MP's and also insist on second class travel for them too so they mix with citizens and thus get to see the otherside.

Indeed parliamentary standards stink of corruption and needs radical overhaul.

[PlanB]

Re: If I was Prime Minister I would.....

Maybe this new fantasy PM would give better tax breaks to private Landlords (like me) who provide much needed alternative 'social housing' because successive Governments have failed to build sufficient affordable homes to cope with demand. Being a Landlord is my job just like being a brain surgeon and I see no reason why either of us should take a pay cut to subsidise black holes in the public purse caused by politicians.