What do you personally do to try and make the UK/world better?

shemnel

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 Dec 2013
Messages
7,836
I have my frustrations with the UK and the world, absolutely, but the sheer quantity of moaning, negativity and inactivity of many is one of the most depressing things about it all - countless conversations (online and not) about negative aspects, social media awash with tripe, the sensationalist angle of the news and so on.

Ultimately we should try not to waste energy on things we cannot control/change. So what do you try and do to make a positive difference? be it tiny things or some sort of social activism etc? I know, ultimately, there needs to be change in the political and economic structures to make a lasting difference but i feel we, as people, can do a lot too.

Personally I try to cycle short distances; shop with local suppliers as far as my wages will let me; pick up litter on and around my street (amazingly another neighbour has started this now); be friendly to random people as the default instead of frosty/hostile; i'm trying hard not to judge people and their situations until i know more facts; give ~1% of my wage to charity over the course of the year; be patient with old people.

this isn't a big 'I AM', but i am very curious about what folks do just to try and make society and little more functioning and nicer to be in, trying to make a little positivity.
 
Hand out free buttys to all the naughty lot hanging around Piccadilly Gardens
 
I'd do it with plastic bottles but they just end up in Indonesia.

on this, plastic is frustrating. I would argue that folks should persevere with recycling plastic through channels like kerbside and supermarket scheme etc, and hope that charities and organisations behind the scenes (E.g. Plastic Pact) continue to work to improve plastic recycling rates in the UK. That way at least the behaviours are good andthe infrastructure can catch up

also, easy things like never buying bottled water, never using plastic bags in the veg sections of shops (i've put veg loose in the trolley for years now, cashiers dont mind at all), never use straws, never buy single use plastic items where possible, and so on, it can all help a bit.
 
I would simply:

Reinforce fiscal rules to maintain market stability
  • Day-to-day public spending will be fully funded by tax revenues.
  • We will borrow only to invest in infrastructure that delivers long-term growth.
  • Debt will fall as a share of GDP over the medium term.
  • These rules will be monitored and enforced by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, whose forecasts will accompany all major fiscal decisions.
Launch a £60 billion National Investment Plan over five years to modernise our economy and restore national competitiveness:
  • £20 billion in green infrastructure: wind, solar, nuclear, and a modernised energy grid. Green industrial strategy: Focus on retrofitting homes, wind/solar power, hydrogen tech, and battery factories
  • Prioritize high-impact projects: Focus on transport (HS2 completion in key corridors, Northern Powerhouse Rail), energy infrastructure (renewables, nuclear, grid upgrades), and digital (5G, fiber).
  • Devolve funding and planning powers to city regions so local leaders can respond faster and more effectively..
  • £15 billion in transport upgrades: finishing key rail projects, fixing crumbling roads, and improving connectivity in the North and Midlands.
  • £10 billion in digital infrastructure, ensuring every home and business has access to full-fibre broadband and 5G.
  • £15 billion for housing and local regeneration, supported by planning reform to unlock private investment

Make the UK’s social security system fairer and function as a true safety net, the guiding principles should be:
  • Dignity: No one should be forced into destitution just to qualify for support.
  • Simplicity: The system should be understandable, accessible, and consistent.
  • Incentive-aligned: It must support people back into work without punishing them for trying.
  • Comprehensive: It must actually cover life’s risks—disability, job loss, housing, and caring
  • I would think this would cost £30-40bn and would require to be funded by progressive but politically viable funding

I would back the industries of the future:
  • Boost the British Innovation Fund, co-investing alongside pension funds in UK tech, life sciences, and clean manufacturing.
  • Reform pension regulation to unlock billions in productive investment from UK retirement savings.
  • Expand apprenticeships and vocational training, especially in green tech, engineering, care, and digital sectors.
  • Reform planning and regulation to enable growth while maintaining fairness and safety.
Deliver a fairer, more efficient tax system by:
  • Close tax loopholes and clamp down on evasion.
  • multi nationals must agree to an investment commitment in the countries they operate in which would focus on medium/long term infrastructure projects
  • Reduce Corporation tax back to 20p
  • Cut VAT to 15p to encourage Retail spending. VAT on bringing our housing stock to energy efficiency would be nil.
  • Align capital gains tax more closely with income tax, while protecting entrepreneurs and small business.
  • Launch a review of property taxation, with a view to modernising outdated council tax bands and reforming stamp duty.
  • those with the broadest shoulders will contribute more, and everyone will benefit from a stronger economy.
  • the tax plan would be cost neutral
Restore long-term funding certainty to the NHS, schools, and local councils:
  • A 10-year NHS workforce plan backed by investment in training and retention.
  • Expansion of primary and community care to ease hospital pressures.
  • Fund schools tied to need, not postcode, and restored capital budgets for school buildings.
  • introduce a National Care Service—to ensure dignity in old age and stability for our care workers.
  • introduce a 10-year, £7 billion annual investment programme to improve educational outcomes, reduce youth crime, and break the cycle of poverty in inner-city areas. The programme will:
    • Raise school attainment in the UK’s 20 most deprived urban areas.
    • Cut school exclusions, reduce NEET rates (not in education, employment, or training), and lower youth offending.
    • Improve teacher recruitment, school safety, and early childhood development.
    • Deliver long-term fiscal savings that outweigh the investment — across criminal justice, welfare, healthcare, and lost productivity.
      The programme is expected to pay for itself within 10 years.
Improve Relationships between Europe and Nations within UK
  • Seek an improved trade deal focused on frictionless access for goods and services.
  • Establish mutual recognition of qualifications and scientific cooperation.
  • pursue new strategic partnerships in Asia, North America, and Africa—while ensuring British standards and sovereignty are never compromised
  • give Scotland an independence referendum on the basis it will be the last in 50 years. A yes vote would require over 60% and the turnout would require to be over 80%
Government ministers renumeration would be dictated by successful outcomes of the above plan with significant bonuses available for over achievement.

And when thats done I would insist on the publication of the 115 outcome, make it a criminal offence for UK media to deviate from facts on any subject and put Farage in a small boat and send him to set up a new party in the North Pole.



 
I would simply:

Reinforce fiscal rules to maintain market stability
  • Day-to-day public spending will be fully funded by tax revenues.
  • We will borrow only to invest in infrastructure that delivers long-term growth.
  • Debt will fall as a share of GDP over the medium term.
  • These rules will be monitored and enforced by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, whose forecasts will accompany all major fiscal decisions.
Launch a £60 billion National Investment Plan over five years to modernise our economy and restore national competitiveness:
  • £20 billion in green infrastructure: wind, solar, nuclear, and a modernised energy grid. Green industrial strategy: Focus on retrofitting homes, wind/solar power, hydrogen tech, and battery factories
  • Prioritize high-impact projects: Focus on transport (HS2 completion in key corridors, Northern Powerhouse Rail), energy infrastructure (renewables, nuclear, grid upgrades), and digital (5G, fiber).
  • Devolve funding and planning powers to city regions so local leaders can respond faster and more effectively..
  • £15 billion in transport upgrades: finishing key rail projects, fixing crumbling roads, and improving connectivity in the North and Midlands.
  • £10 billion in digital infrastructure, ensuring every home and business has access to full-fibre broadband and 5G.
  • £15 billion for housing and local regeneration, supported by planning reform to unlock private investment

Make the UK’s social security system fairer and function as a true safety net, the guiding principles should be:
  • Dignity: No one should be forced into destitution just to qualify for support.
  • Simplicity: The system should be understandable, accessible, and consistent.
  • Incentive-aligned: It must support people back into work without punishing them for trying.
  • Comprehensive: It must actually cover life’s risks—disability, job loss, housing, and caring
  • I would think this would cost £30-40bn and would require to be funded by progressive but politically viable funding

I would back the industries of the future:
  • Boost the British Innovation Fund, co-investing alongside pension funds in UK tech, life sciences, and clean manufacturing.
  • Reform pension regulation to unlock billions in productive investment from UK retirement savings.
  • Expand apprenticeships and vocational training, especially in green tech, engineering, care, and digital sectors.
  • Reform planning and regulation to enable growth while maintaining fairness and safety.
Deliver a fairer, more efficient tax system by:
  • Close tax loopholes and clamp down on evasion.
  • multi nationals must agree to an investment commitment in the countries they operate in which would focus on medium/long term infrastructure projects
  • Reduce Corporation tax back to 20p
  • Cut VAT to 15p to encourage Retail spending. VAT on bringing our housing stock to energy efficiency would be nil.
  • Align capital gains tax more closely with income tax, while protecting entrepreneurs and small business.
  • Launch a review of property taxation, with a view to modernising outdated council tax bands and reforming stamp duty.
  • those with the broadest shoulders will contribute more, and everyone will benefit from a stronger economy.
  • the tax plan would be cost neutral
Restore long-term funding certainty to the NHS, schools, and local councils:
  • A 10-year NHS workforce plan backed by investment in training and retention.
  • Expansion of primary and community care to ease hospital pressures.
  • Fund schools tied to need, not postcode, and restored capital budgets for school buildings.
  • introduce a National Care Service—to ensure dignity in old age and stability for our care workers.
  • introduce a 10-year, £7 billion annual investment programme to improve educational outcomes, reduce youth crime, and break the cycle of poverty in inner-city areas. The programme will:
    • Raise school attainment in the UK’s 20 most deprived urban areas.
    • Cut school exclusions, reduce NEET rates (not in education, employment, or training), and lower youth offending.
    • Improve teacher recruitment, school safety, and early childhood development.
    • Deliver long-term fiscal savings that outweigh the investment — across criminal justice, welfare, healthcare, and lost productivity.
      The programme is expected to pay for itself within 10 years.
Improve Relationships between Europe and Nations within UK
  • Seek an improved trade deal focused on frictionless access for goods and services.
  • Establish mutual recognition of qualifications and scientific cooperation.
  • pursue new strategic partnerships in Asia, North America, and Africa—while ensuring British standards and sovereignty are never compromised
  • give Scotland an independence referendum on the basis it will be the last in 50 years. A yes vote would require over 60% and the turnout would require to be over 80%
Government ministers renumeration would be dictated by successful outcomes of the above plan with significant bonuses available for over achievement.

And when thats done I would insist on the publication of the 115 outcome, make it a criminal offence for UK media to deviate from facts on any subject and put Farage in a small boat and send him to set up a new party in the North Pole.
a bit of a manifesto then ;-)
 
on this, plastic is frustrating. I would argue that folks should persevere with recycling plastic through channels like kerbside and supermarket scheme etc, and hope that charities and organisations behind the scenes (E.g. Plastic Pact) continue to work to improve plastic recycling rates in the UK. That way at least the behaviours are good andthe infrastructure can catch up

also, easy things like never buying bottled water, never using plastic bags in the veg sections of shops (i've put veg loose in the trolley for years now, cashiers dont mind at all), never use straws, never buy single use plastic items where possible, and so on, it can all help a bit.
Don't get me wrong. At home I recycle everything I possibly can. It all goes in the correct bins. Further I won't buy water, I even get milk from the milkman, it's more expensive but it's not in plastic bottles.
 
on this, plastic is frustrating. I would argue that folks should persevere with recycling plastic through channels like kerbside and supermarket scheme etc, and hope that charities and organisations behind the scenes (E.g. Plastic Pact) continue to work to improve plastic recycling rates in the UK. That way at least the behaviours are good andthe infrastructure can catch up

also, easy things like never buying bottled water, never using plastic bags in the veg sections of shops (i've put veg loose in the trolley for years now, cashiers dont mind at all), never use straws, never buy single use plastic items where possible, and so on, it can all help a bit.

Plastic is a killer...


But also lifesaving...

#BottlestoGaza
 

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top