Socialism Liberty and a new Internationalist vision : A Radical Alternative (draft only)

(I will explain the title later)

This is kind of a political manifesto that I have been drafting up.  

And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England's mountains green: And was the holy Lamb of God, On England's pleasant pastures seen!And did the Countenance Divine, Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here, Among these dark Satanic Mills?Bring me my Bow of burning gold: Bring me my arrows of desire: Bring me my Spear: O clouds unfold! Bring me my Chariot of fire!I will not cease from Mental Fight, Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand: Till we have built Jerusalem, In Englands green & pleasant Land. 

William Blake 1804

It might seem odd that I am sharing this Poem, but I think it's relevant to British national identity today. Just think about its meaning and compare it to British and English nationalistic feeling today. Then we can see how to use this to create a better society within Britain and promote and internationalist alternative to the status quo.

The 2016 EU referendum was the catalyst for this to expose the underlining tensions within the United Kingdom that were building up for decades. If one thing is certain from this is that most people in this country wanted to change politics. People saw this referendum as their own chance to do so. Only an ignorant individual would think we voted leave because either the British public was stupid or racist. Neither is true Eurosceptism while it was entrenched by media stories came from outright frustration and the general direction of society for decades. This was further amplified by the 2008 economic crisis and 2015 election. Where the main 3 politicians were almost identical in terms of policy that they offered, even worse all attended Eton at around the same time. People had enough. Above this UKIP's outright victory in the 2014 European Elections should have sufficed as a warning sign. Of course, this was never the case for our arrogant Westminster political class.

The Brexit process itself was a complete mess. Nobody knew what was the "will of the people really"? We could only guess and speculate, I suspect though the answer probably lies in the Northern Heartlands of the Labour Party. After the referendum, I'll paraphrase Nigel Farage's point in the aftermath after the referendum "I think the leave campaign won because of the Labour Heartlands that have been abandoned by Labour." I always lived in these communities, I spent all my life living in a region in South Yorkshire known as the Dearne Valley that includes parts of Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley. It’s a valley named after the river Dearne that is full of small towns and villages that were associated with the heavy industry or coal mining. Even today people still feel that we were worse off due to the de-industrialisation process over the last 40 years. Here we have some of the poorest parts of the country, the average wage in the area is approximately £18,000 a year the national average is approximately £28,000. In towns such as Rotherham 1/5 of people are unemployed. In Doncaster, the average wage has decreased in the last 10 years. People felt hard done by and left behind.

To know what is key to what is going on we need to understand the failures of the mainstream political parties. The Liberal Democrats are perceived as a party that propped up the Conservatives that only has the interests of the wealthy Southern Middle Classes. The Conservatives are still deeply hated due to Margret Thatcher. Post Blair people begin to feel a general disconnect with the Labour Party, people seem like no different as the Conservatives, a London centric party that is no longer is interested in the local area. This sentiment reached its peak in the 2015 general election, Corbyn managed to regain some support amongst traditional Labour supporters who either abstained (turnout is low in the Labour Heartlands) or switched to other parties, mainly UKIP. UKIP successfully marketed itself as this party that was taking on the corrupt establishment, which now includes the Labour Party from the viewpoint of many people in its heartlands. For the same reason, Eurosceptism also became more popular.

Many Britons saw the European Union as a distant overseas organisation that they had no say in. One of my Dad's friends told me, "If we can't even influence our councillors to do what we want, how do we influence our MEP's? It does not make sense they don't listen to us." Not only this, people felt that they did not have a say in various international treaties such as Lisbon as Maastricht that changed the British Constitution. People were concerned about Immigration, of course, the immigrants are taking all the jobs narratives was fuelled by the frustration brought about by the high unemployment and low wages locally. Though I must admit this was vastly overhyped. The point is people’s anger was built up by clear and obvious concerns, Brexit was a cry for help to the British ruling class.

It does put me in some despair when many individuals, who do particularly come from more privileged backgrounds than myself address these issues with absolute ignorance. Though it is understandable, Britain has always been good a segregating people from different social backgrounds. I sincerely hope that people would begin to address these concerns today. People are moulded by their environment.

The question we should all be asking what is the direction forward? It’s been almost 3 years since the EU referendum and nobody knows what is going to happen. Now we are in a situation where article 50 can or will be extended indefinitely. Some say we should revoke article 50, drastic action by will prove to further disillusion the disillusioned. We could go for No Deal, but this will prove to be immensely chaotic, we are breaking 40 years of ties in an instant. Either is unsavoury currently. It is solution simple what we need to do, and the answer lies in our domestic agenda. We need to empower those who feel most hard done by our society, people who are the poorest in our society. An enormous effort needs to be done in healing these communities that have been hard for decades. Politicians need to listen and act. People need to be given a voice in politics, this means further devolution and constitutional reform in the United Kingdom. "The answer to a lack of democracy is more democracy"- Tony Benn. I can't help but think that we need to move away what we consider free market capitalism and Neo-Liberal economics. A Neo Keynesian economic strategy might be needed.

Here are some ways on how we should go forward:

1)    Build a new constitution that enriches democracy that protects human rights and civil liberties.

2)    Decentralise power within the United Kingdom.

3)    Break up and limit the power of big multinational companies in favour of community business and cooperatives.

4)    Dismantle the City of London.

5)    Bring the Bank of England under Government control.

6)    Leave the European Union, to seek the establishment of a Commonwealth of Europe based on popular will and sovereignty. This could be done through a reformed EFTA.

7)    Introduce Universal Basic Income for anyone over the age of 16.

8)    Leave the IMF and the World Bank if the Political faction of the insinuations cannot be ousted.

9)    Decriminalise the use of all drugs and legalise Cannabis, drug addiction must be treated as an illness.

10)            Reform British international aid spending, Governments should be banned from directly giving aid to national Governments or NGO’s.  We should maintain the UN’s recommended 0.7% of GDP.

11)                      Support reforms to the United Nations, Britain should support reforms on the Environment encouraging action on climate change and supporting an International Space Programme.

12)                      Ban Faith Schools and Private Tuition schools and dismantle the Academy system.

13)                      The abolition of anti-Trade Union legalisation

The average citizen of the United Kingdom should have additional should have the right to influence what goes on in their lives, from controlling what happens in the workplace to the local Government. People must feel like that are being listened and they are a part of the system. The establishment of community businesses are important too, businesses that both hire people locally and have a large stake in a local community should be able to be held to account by the local community. Local bus services could be easily turned into community businesses for instance. Cooperatives should be created from larger business in sectors such as Manufacturing. The idea of a democratic economy is vital to create a fairer society.

The idea of a Democratic economy should go alongside a reformed Constitution.  A new Constitution is vital for Britain outside the European Union, especially when we don’t have the EU treaties and possibly the European Convention on Human Rights to fall back on. This should be a modernised version of the 1991 Commonwealth of Britain bill proposed by Tony Benn. Including the Abolition of the Monarchy, voting reform. The democratisation of the house of lords and regional devolution. This should be supported by a new bill of human rights.

14)                      The constitutional status of the Crown should be abolished. Oaths to the crown should be replaced with an oath to your constituency. The head of state will be known as The Sovereign of Parliament and will also act as the speaker.

15)                      The Sovereign of Parliament elected by a joint sitting of both houses of the Parliament and would have powers like the German head of state. He/she would have a diplomatic role like the current Monarch.

16)                      This the vote will require approval from both houses or the vote will go to the British public through a referendum. The term of The Sovereign of Parliament will be 5 years unless he/she is impeached by Parliament, then a national referendum will be called on the status of The Sovereign of Parliament.

17)                      In the modern day it is empirical that we have a secular state. We need to abolish the Church of England as the established Church of England and the crown dependencies.

18)                      The House of Lords to be replaced by an elected House of the Commonwealth with equal representation of men and women. This will be elected with a raw PR system; the House of Commons will be elected a single transferable vote system.

19)                      The 50% of the House of the Commonwealth will be elected every 5 years. Anyone aged 16+ who is either a citizen or is a resident of the United Kingdom that pays taxes will be entitled to vote.

20)                      The functions of the Royal Prerogative should be transferred to Parliament, reformed houses of Parliament will both vote on the use of the Royal Prerogative.

21)                      The Privy Council should be abolished and replaced by a Council of State, and its members are held to account to Parliament and can be suspended for Parliamentary misconduct

22)                      Empower the decentralised legislatures in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, England should a federal system like Germany. To boundaries along the lines as shown on the map below.

23)                      We should create a reformed bill of human rights should be created. This will protect, freedom of religion, freedom of speech (except for hate speech), freedom of assembly and association, freedom of information (except military secrets), right to privacy. Freedom from surveillance (unless suspect of a crime or terrorist activities). Boldly freedom, the freedom to do what you want to your body unless it affects other citizens in a negative manner, (e.g. consume drugs) within reason. All Governments no matter the ideology must respect a code of human rights as defined by organisations such as the UN. This should an improved version of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The most important question of the day is with our relationship with the European Union. Britain needs to leave the European Union to respect the view of the majority of those that voted in the 2016 referendum and to reduce the influence of the “Neo-Liberal global order” on Britain. The latter is a much more difficult task and it's not attached to the European Union.  Power needs to be in Britain and those with power needs to be accountable to those in Britain, we should not centralise power to overseas organisations that the average citizen does not have influence over. One Brexiter in Rotherham once told me “The politicians say Europe benefits us, but I don’t feel better off after 40 years and they all ignore us”.” A powerful point that many Leave voters had. The basis for our future relationship with Europe should be based on the idea of a Commonwealth of Europe that was based on popular sovereignty and corporation. Perhaps a hybrid between the African Union and the European Free Trade Organisation. Therefore, I have concluded that Britain should be a permanent member of the European Free Trade Organisation.

My proposal is for the United Kingdom to join the European Free Trade Association. This would honour the referendum and give us a reasonable trade deal for this to work with. Joining the EFTA requires approval from the EFTA countries, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Lichtenstein. This could indeed be problematic as Norway will be reluctant to allow the United Kingdom to join the organisation. We should not remain, members of the EEA, this would be a similar arrangement to Switzerland the major difference between us and Switzerland is that we would not be in the Schengen zone. 

EFTA will keep us in the single market, and I accept this will mean the four freedoms would continue. This will prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland, this is vital to prevent the rise of sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland. Though with customs an Irish Sea customs border might be inevitable, depending on the circumstances. It's preferable to have one single deal for The United Kingdom, and the EFTA will guarantee  free movement of people between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The key part of EFTA is that we will be outside of a Customs Union. This will enable us to negotiate trade deals with other countries if we stick to the EFTA Constitution. Following the United Kingdom joining EFTA we should aim to create CANUK, a trade deal between Canada, Australia and New Zealand and the United Kingdom. All the following nations have expressed their interest for a free trade deal with the United Kingdom after we exit from the European Union.  

MP's will have a significant amount of influence over EFTA if we became a member of the organisation. This can be done through the EFTA advisory body known as the Parliamentary committee. This is a forum where MP's discuss policy. These meetings are often attended by officials from the EU and other countries.  We have a veto on new EU rules that effect EFTA and we can influence further rules on the EFTA council. The EFTA council is governing the body of EFTA and it meets eight times a year at an ambassadorial level and twice at a ministerial level. The council manages trade deals and the rules of the organisation. EFTA also has trade deals with 24 trade deals across the world to do deals with this includes Mexico and South Africa. EFTA has ongoing negotiations with Indonesia. As members of EFTA, we can have a significant influence on these trade deals. 

EFTA was set up in 1960 with seven-member states, this included The United Kingdom as a founding state. EFTA unlike the EEC at the time was intended to be a trade block. We were previously members of EFTA before we joined the EEC in 1973. During this period when we were members of EFTA we managed to maintain our trade relations with the British Commonwealth while we transition our trade policy away from the Commonwealth nations to the EEC members. 

After examining the current composition of Parliament, well thought out soft Brexit compromise may pass through Parliament in this current deadlock.  EFTA is an opportunity to have more control over our density in Westminster while maintaining some of the benefits we currently enjoy under EU membership. Our membership of EFTA will allow us to use temporary breaks of Immigration when necessary. Understand Freedom of Movement will not end as a member of EFTA however, EFTA membership is currently the most reasonable way to leave the European Union. I see this as a perfect alternative to Labours current Brexit policy if we can't implement in Government or in Opposition. Then I hope we can eventually have a general election and elect a Socialist Government that can deliver a society for the many and not the few. 

We need a National and local investment scheme, this is to replicate EU investment in the United Kingdom and to better the current investment. I think this could be done with Labours national and regional investment banks. With is we should create a British state aid board formed by leading businesses.

Create Canzuk a trade deal between Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with an immigration deal. Propose an alternative institution to the European Union, based on a trade deal with promoting national sovereignty, based on similar terms to Canzuk, Tony Benn’s proposal of a European Commonwealth. Even though I support our membership of EFTA I see this as a long-term goal for the left in Europe.  Guarantee all EU citizens residency rights and offer them, full British citizens.

We should also, set up a financial transactions tax, the revenues of this tax will be used to set up the regional economic regeneration committee that will aim to invest money in the most deprived areas of the country such as the West Country and South Yorkshire. Replace the Common Agricultural Policy with a new British agricultural policy that will allow British citizens to receive affordable food and the continuation of agricultural subsidies.  

Make it a legal requirement for British mobile operators to offer zero tariffs for British citizens to use mobile phones in Europe on the threat of fines. Close British tax havens in the city of London and the overseas territories. Reform the Pound Sterling, this is a long-term plan over decades to readjust the value of the pound compared to the Yuan and the Dollar to make British exports for viable in the long-term future. Abolish flat rate indirect taxation such as VAT (for the exception of junk food and Tobacco products), these taxes harm consumer spending and impact the poorest people the most. We should also aim to unilaterally lower tariffs on certain essential imports such as food and sanitary products.

We should aim to phase out our overreliance in financial services. The fastest growing industries will be in robotics, biotechnology, green energy etc. We should aim to invest in these new high-tech industries and use them to reindustrialise the North of England. Many regions in the United Kingdom such as in South Yorkshire don't benefit from our service dominated economy as much as cities such as London. We need new industries to thrive as globalisation continues, many former Industrial towns and cities such as Doncaster are too reliant on the "Gig economy". We need a new economic vision for these parts of the country. The 2017 Manifesto from the Labour Party for The Many and Not the Few is a great start.

We should have an additional day of the year to celebrate Britishness and British identity, it should be on 1 May to celebrate the 1707 act of Union between England and Scotland as opposed to the anniversary to us leaving the European Union. Education reform is vital for the future of the country. 

We poorly educate our children to give them adequate knowledge of the world. We also fail to give children the skills for employment. A skilled population is vital if we are to build long term sustainable industries. There needs to be more of a wide range of vocational subjects available. I also think we should teach philosophy to children at a young age to encourage critical thinking and to allow future generations to question the current society we can live in who can provide more ideas on how to transform society for the better.

Give the current I recently re-examined Plato's argument for a state to be ruled by a special elite of Philosophers who could escape the world of sense experience and rise to the contemplation of new ideas. In Politics currently, we suffer from too much short-termism we need to think about the future in the long term in how we model the society for the better.  I reject the notion of a "special elite of philosophers", philosophy is the key to understanding the nature of our society and should be accessible for everyone. I believe one of the reasons Brexit occurred is because of economic deprivation, the lack of new radical ideas, and Politicians failing to listen to their constituents. We need to young people the come up with new ideas and challenge the ideas of the past, as a society I feel we have been too stagnant. As Tony Benn once argued, "every generation is forced to fight the same rights all over again and again". The key to transforming society for the better can be summed up in two words community and education. We should give every child an equal and an amazing opportunity we must promote social mobility and tackle elitism, and therefore we must ban Private education.

The most difficult task for any progressive is to take on the global system of capital.  The origin of many ills felt by workers across the globe is the effects of the Washington consensus. Once we have tackled the problems we face at home we must promote progressive change for every nation on Earth. We are one Human race on the planet at the end of the day, we will be all be affected by the Environmental destruction brought about by the actions of Multinational Corporations.