Since their overwhelming defeat in the local government and London elections, we have had a procession of government ministers and the Prime Minister doing the rounds of television and press telling us they are really listening to our concerns. But are they? I've hear them saying that everyone's concern is the economy. But is it our only worry. It sure isn't mine. Over the last 11 years I have watched them destroy our society in their own selfish interests and those of the political class.

I could make a very long list of what I think they could do. But here are just three ideas for policies that I think they could introduce. In no particular order of priority they are:

1. Stop endlessly putting false measurement systems into public services. Introduce something completely different. I've recently had a robbery at home which the police did nothing about, and an experience in hospital that left damaged and needing a lifetime of previously needless medication.

What about a blogging system where ordinary people can complain and publicly see how their genuine issues are dealt with and resolved, and a measurement system based on what the success rate on clearing up complaints really is.

2. Make the official and ONLY language of this country English. If you can't speak English you have to either pay for translation or manage the best you can - just like other countries do. When I lived in France my daughter had to learn in French at school - if she couln't they didn't waste time and resources teaching her, or slowing down the rest while she caught up. It was sink or swim - quite rightly.

3. Put the nuclear family back at the heart of our society. That's mum and dad and one or two kids (at most). Every policy should be designed so that the nuclear family is rewarded, with tax, benefits support for parents, over every other form of living. Our society is seriously broken and only strong families can rescue it.

I'm sure many of you will have other policy suggestions, too. Let's hope the politicans are really listening!

quote:

Originally posted by Grahamjt:
When I lived in France my daughter had to learn in French at school - if she couln't they didn't waste time and resources teaching her, or slowing down the rest while she caught up. It was sink or swim - quite rightly.

You can't have integrated very much if you don't know that France - like many European countries - offers heavily subsidised language / integration courses for foreign workers and other migrants.

These are common throughout Europe. I've done one in the country I lived in and it was great . It helped me and my class mates enormously into employment and a better life.

Of course the Goverment are not listening to us! they are too busy employing their Family members and lining their pockets! why on earth should they listen to us?

so who actually voted Labour then?

Any Labour voters want to tell us how they think their political party of choice is doing?

quote:

Originally posted by vbland:

quote:

Originally posted by Grahamjt:
When I lived in France my daughter had to learn in French at school - if she couln't they didn't waste time and resources teaching her, or slowing down the rest while she caught up. It was sink or swim - quite rightly.

You can't have integrated very much if you don't know that France - like many European countries - offers heavily subsidised language / integration courses for foreign workers and other migrants.

These are common throughout Europe. I've done one in the country I lived in and it was great . It helped me and my class mates enormously into employment and a better life.

I must have imagined it. Maybe that I got a uni first in French, and a degree from a French university and my daughter and I are both fluent had something to do with our lack of integration.

I think you`ve either misread, or misunderstood exactly what vbland actually said.

quote:

Originally posted by Angelus the Vampire:
I think you`ve either misread, or misunderstood exactly what vbland actually said.

Don't think so!

I think the state of the economy is, for most or A LOT, of people the most pressing issue. Food prices, petrol prices, council tax, rent, water, electricity all going up and our wages aren't so how on earth are we supposed to pay for these rises???

I'm a single person, no dependents, live on my own and my God is it a struggle. I dont spend a lot on food, but even thats gone up by at least a fiver a week. I'm looking to things like car insurance to go down to give me a few extra pounds a month!!! I went to a famous, cheap, high street store yesterday (not sure if I can say the name but it begins with P) and spent 20 quid on a few summer clothes because all the clothes that I had for the summer I have had for 10+ years and they're fit for the bin. I haven't been able to afford to buy new clothes for SO long, and I'm not going to be able to afford any more for a long time.

My point is, the Government, a Labour government, need to get back to basics and sort out council tax, food prices, petrol prices because the way its going, I'm going end up sitting in my flat in the dark eating bread and drinking water and I'm not joking!

As for voting, I didn't vote in the general elections, but I WILL be voting next time there's an election (and I didn't last time) and I will be voting Labour. Conservatives will do no better job than Labour, as far as I'm concerned Conservative's haven't got the first clue about what its like for real people. I see Conservatives as 'the privaliged' and dont think that them being in government will help the country, as a whole, one bit!

The original question, are the government really listening to us? In a word, no. But they need to start because if they dont I can only see it getting worse before it gets better.

quote:

Originally posted by Grahamjt:
3. Put the nuclear family back at the heart of our society. That's mum and dad and one or two kids (at most). Every policy should be designed so that the nuclear family is rewarded, with tax, benefits support for parents, over every other form of living. Our society is seriously broken and only strong families can rescue it.

I agree about the nuclear family bit, but no one should ever have the right to say how many kids people can have. As long as the parents cover the cost themselves, it's their choice how many they should have. Obviously, you will get people who have too many, but it shouldn't be the Governments business to tell people how to live their lives, or to bail them out with benefits to cover their (irresponsible parents) stupidity.

Immigrants should have to learn English before coming over here, and anyone convicted of a crime should be kicked out, regardless of the consequences they will face in their home country.

To be honest, I'd pretty much reverse everything that Labour have done and start again......that would be enough to keep me busy for a few decades