State of the UK – October 22, 2022 – updated 20/11/23
Well it has been a long break, but the time has come to stand up and be counted again…
But Oh dear – What a mess!!
In 2020 we had Covid-19 and if that wasn’t bad enough, then in 2022 we have war in Europe after 75 years of peace, but then we had “witch-hunts” from the Conservatives on themselves and the Labour, Lib Dems and SNP starting to plan to gain power. Instead of everyone coming together in the interest of the nation, irrational self-interest has been the strategy of all these politicians. They are not working for us to provide a safe society, beautiful country and stable economy, they are fighting over an empire of dirt.
After fighting for the right of the UK to remain an independent country with its own law making capacity and integrity, a vote was cast and the majority had its voice heard. I have now decided to come home to where all self-respecting people should be on the side of the planet that provide all the things we need.
We don’t have to be zombie consumers, buying everything offered by slick salespeople, we can make up our own mind and decide what is actually important in life. Especially as we are standing at the cross-road in politics, it’s time for some common sense, it time for good choices, it’s time for change.
You may think that the Greens are not ready to govern and despite being very nice people, unfortunately you would be right. It’s not just the mainstream media’s propaganda that is saying that Green are not sustainability savvy, the Greens themselves want to ban many of your needs and wants (which in fact you could still have but in a slightly different form) and some Greens even support these pressure groups gluing themselves to roads. Well, the actuality is that just stop oil are not eco-activists, they are a political pressure group. Professional environmentalist vow not do harm to the environment and that also means doing no harm to people. So, in reality this means that at present no-one in society is actually implementing planned management of resources in a way that correctly balances Society, Environment and Economics.
I am a Chartered Environmentalist, Member of the Institute of Environmental Sciences, an International Standards Lead Auditor BS EN ISO14001:2015, I have been a professional Environmental Consultant for 25 years and have just completed an Environmental Psychology Masters. So, in my professional judgement where are we? In transition from a “use once” waste economy to a “reuse” Reconomics, where people will become far better off, because they have more resources and society doesn’t waste things anymore.
The tired old political elite the Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems and SNP actually believe that economic growth is good. No, in a finite world that isn’t getting any bigger, growth just means using up all the things we need faster. Speeding up towards a resources cliff. You notice I am not talking in media terms, such as the climate crisis etc. Anthropogenic (man-made) climate change is happening, but that and the term sustainability have been hijacked by economists, stating their way is “smart growth”. Unfortunately this is a deception, there is no smart growth, it is just growth. And increasing population causes climate change, because there are even more carbon footprints.
The only way to live into the future is to focus on our quality of life, a clean and safe environment and having a stable economy that provides for the needs of everyone, without using everything up. That’s why the country needs the political party that has environmental experts that are capable of Environmental Management Systems (EMS) providing knowledge of managing planetary dynamics for the benefit of all.
So please every time you hear a story in the media about sustainability, it is just growth with another name and growth undermines stability, which means in the long run you be have plenty now and run out of everything tomorrow. You see a pound today and a pound tomorrow, is way better than one pound fifty now and nothing tomorrow.
It’s time to decide – same old same old boom and bust, self-interest and greed. I have chosen live well and to help the sustainability build this brighter better future, that is respectful, honorable, rational and actually will be more successful than the economic law of the jungle we have now that is capitalism.
Yes we want good strong markets, but leaving societies decisions the “unseen hand of Adam Smith” moves us towards a future without leadership. We need to manage our society, not leave it the markets, we need good decisions based on competency, we need to make better choices, we need to get rid of senseless greed and do right by each other.
I see the need for change, we need a greener, brighter future, now is the time for proper well managed sustainability.
Is this democracy in Action?? Don’t think so – June 20, 2017
At last the chance, to do what the people want, on Twickenham Riverside?
But Oh dear – Yet another property development!!
In 2010 to stop the Lib Dem “luxury housing” scheme, the residents of Twickenham voted within the “Barefoot” consultation for a peoples plan for Twickenham Riverside. Yes very curious, the results have been removed from the Council’s website, but luckily I copied them, see below. Residents then voted the Lib Dems out of office with the promise from the Conservatives, that they would do this plan.
Now the Conservative have their own “luxury housing” scheme, sound familiar? The exhibition to present this housing scheme is from the 13th June (click this link). You can be assured it is not what was asked for, but go along and have a look to see if it compares to the peoples below results, specification, drawing and model.
Barefoot consultation 22-24th 2010
The local facilities most commonly mentioned as priority are:
Q2
- Market/Town Square (49%)
- Parks/public open space (42%)
- More pedestrianisation (34%)
- Shops (33%)
- Recreation and entertainment (33%)
Q3
The most common themes to emerge from this question were as follows:
The riverside – many respondents (approximately 43% in total) said they would like to see the riverside improved and made into a public space, with the aim of it being a focal point for the town. Several also suggested opening up the riverside with Kings Street.
The next biggest theme to emerge was that of improved retail and improving the condition of the town centre in general. Several respondents commented how many people go to Richmond or Kingston to shop and thought Twickenham should have a better range of shops.
Several residents were concerned about the amount of traffic in Twickenham and would like to see more pedestrian areas.
Increase availability of leisure facilities and open public spaces
The People’s Plan for Twickenham Riverside chosen
An opportunity to do what the people want
Model made by Tom Tangle (deceased)
A tribute to a real man of the people
Conclusions
- No mention of private housing.
- No suggested sub-dividing the site.
- Council were responsible for implementation.
- There was no mention of the Council handing over this responsibility to an outside organisation that will be unaccountable.
Snap General Election Thursday 8 June 2017 – April 20, 2017
What a turn up “May goes for broke” asking the country to ratify – the referendum, Parliament’s vote and her as PM – act of desperation or stroke of genius? Well only the Tories will already have geared up their election machine for this, which usually takes everyone else one year to do, so advantage May 11,334,576 votes. UKIP are quite happy with the Governments performance on the referendum, so they will obviously not stand in the way of the Tories 3,881,099 votes – so combined total 15,215,675 of votes.
All the other parties are EUpean parties to beat the Tories, will have to gang up and the Lib Dems 2,415,862, SNP 1,454,436 would have to campaign for Labour 9,347,304 – but even they did this (which they won’t) this is not a big enough number to win the election – Total 13,217,602. So I would say the smart money today is on May, but that is only because there is not another choice. In 2022 things will be different, the people will have a choice of a party that only does the will of the people. All this political infighting will be over and Enact will do what you want – at last!!.
“Times Move On” – So what has happened? – April 2, 2017
Barry Edwards’s political history has evolved.
Between 1980 and 2006 he didn’t vote because he was ‘disillusioned’ with politics. In 2006 he stood as an Independent as got 458 votes the highest vote for an Independent in recent history. After working with the Conservatives from 2009 to 2012, standing in Teddington with 2183 votes and getting rid of the Lib Dems “Luxury Housing Scheme” on Twickenham Riverside, he left to join UKIP in 2013. Why, because the Tories may be more sensible than the Lib Dems, but there would not put people first. So what was achieved in UKIP? Well a General Election was fought in 2015 and 3069 votes was enough to cause a changing of the guard and by taking these votes off the Lib Dems, the first Conservative MP since 1979 was elected.
In 2016 the historic Referendum took place and although 1,514,477 Londoners said that they wished to leave the EU, 2,247,166 said they wanted to stay (a difference of 732,689 to Remain). Adding this into the rest of the country a total Turnout: 72.2% – Number of local areas declared: 382/382 – Leave: 17,410,742 (51.9%) Remain: 16,141,241 (48.1%) Total Electorate: 46,500,001. Though the 52% to 48% proportions would seem close, but from the rest of the country there was a difference of 2,200,190 extra, which when added into the figures left – 1,269,501 votes to Leave. Though some Remain campaigners have insulted democracy by continuing to try overturn and overturn this decision by UK voters, the vast majority of people wish to find out if it is true that we will be better of outside the EU.
This will be decided within the next 2 years, but for Barry this was a truly an inspirational experience, it was not the EU take would decide the countries fate, or the UK Parliament, it was actually the British people that decided. So he set out to make this policy for UKIP. That the people would decide and the UKIP MPs would just do the will of the people. Well this didn’t happen. They have acknowledge referenda being important in certain cases, but wish like all the other parties to keep the power squarely in the hands of politicians.
So ENACT was born to be the only political party that will do what people want. Yes real, true, direct democracy – demos Kratos – power to people. Our politicians are not elected in Local Authority Councils, or Parliament to decide what they think and then to vote for what their party tell them to say – are candidates seek to gain office, so they can vote for what you have told them to vote for. ENACT has no members of a party telling them what to do, their party is the people, everyone inclusive and that will not change. Over the coming months/years the other parties will try and accuse ENACT of all sorts of things, as they usually do, but rest assured, trust and judge us on what we do, not the propaganda these disgraceful politician will no doubt “peddle”.
Show Me The Money!! February 28 2017
The government’s internal budget deficit may have been improving, but the UK annual current account is at its worse level for 25 years, Britain lost £97bn last year. We are losing money every month. This has taken the national debt from £800bn under Labour to almost double to 1.5 Trillion under the Lib Dem & Tories. Professor Tim Congdon says the total cost of the EU to Britain is £170 Billion per year. So are we really going to have a huge windfall of cash for the NHS and public service after leaving the EU? Please go to the Office of Budget Responsibility website, for these facts.
Office of National Statistics (ONS): http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/index.html
Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR): http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/
Start researching and thinking about this issue, it will very shortly affect you and will definitely affect your children and we will be asking you, what would you do?
The EU – In or out? – February 25 2016
Has the answer been under our noses all along? Do the Remain and the Leavers want the same thing?
DO WE WANT THE COMMON MARKET?
Have our politicians lost sight of this prize. What the new Prime Minister Teresa May must understand is that she is there to follow the will of the people. The people have spoken, we don’t want a deal based on some Norwegian or Swiss model, we want the Common Market we signed up to. If our politicians don’t deliver, then they are not Democrats and a new breed of politician will be required. The UK is no longer prepared to have remote career politicians doing whatever they, or their party, dam well like. It is time for proper Democracy and for the old political elite to go. Whether Teresa May achieves a Common Market for the UK, or not, the people have shown that they are better at making decisions than Parliament and it is now time to let the people decide on many more issues that affect their lives.
Why don’t Politicians tell us the Truth?
If you want to know the truth about the EU, look at the below
| Treaty of Lisbon….. | 2007 |
| Treaty of Nice. … | 2001 |
| Treaty of Amsterdam. … | 1999 |
| Treaty on European Union – Maastricht Treaty. … | 1993 |
| Single European Act. … | 1986 |
| Merger Treaty – Brussels Treaty. … | 1967 |
| Treaties of Rome : EEC and EURATOM treaties. … | 1958 |
| Treaty establishing the European Coal and Steel Community…. | 1952 |
ENACT askes if we should Stop Taxing our Children – February 22 2017
ENACT says – should the Lib Dems, Conservatives and Labour parties continue taxing your children, through inheritance tax.
Within the Lib Dems, Conservative and Labour’s current position, your children will have to pay huge sums to the Government on your property and life savings after you die. You may have worked all your life and paid the tax on your earnings to buy a home and wish to pass it to your children to provide a great start in life for them.
However these parties after an allowance of £325,000 threshold per person, or combined for a married couple of £650,000, will charge your children 40% tax on the value of the rest of the estate, so effectively they will have to buy back their own home.
Under new strict changes to the system, if you give your home to them and continue to live in it, the 7 year rule no longer applies and they would still have to pay this tax. In both cases this would mean:
- For a single parent on a property of £500,000, this would be £70,000
- For a single parent on a property of £1,000,000, this would be £270,000
- For a couple on a property of £500,000, this would be nil
- For a couple on a property of £1,000,000, this would be £140,000
- For a couple on a property of £2,000,000, this would be £799,000
ENACT is appalled that this information has not been made available to the public in the lead up to the General Election by any of these parties’ prospective parliamentary candidates; as ENACR asks is this tax fundamental wrong.
Should this Tax on Children across the country be stopped, ENACT thinks so, but what do you want? Figures from the Her Majesty’s Customs and Revenue; Understanding Inheritance tax (HMRC, 2014).
Massive House-Building Plans – Still on its way January 18 2017
Barry Edwards ENACT Parliamentary candidate for Twickenham asks, “do you want to protect open spaces in leafy London Borough such and Twickenham & Richmond. Twickenham and Richmond after a stable period of 25 years leading up to 1999, is experiencing unprecedented urban growth, see map below, and in the last 5 years this has been accelerating exponentially.
Within the latest data from the Office of Nation Statistics it seems that the Lib Dems, Conservatives, Labour & even the Greens are ignoring the currently projected 41,000 new homes needed in Twickenham and Richmond by 2050; which is equal to the entire size of Bushy Park, 4.1 Square Kilometres of lost open space. Where will all this new housing go??
Historic growth of built space – The dark areas are built land, the lighter areas are the only open spaces left in the Borough, (the large areas are Richmond, Bushy and Old Deer Parks).
Given the long term projected population growth, the areas that will increasing become under threat in Twickenham are: Moormead Park, Orleans Gardens, Richmond College, Cranford Way, Knellor Gardens, Twickenham Green, Radnor Gardens, Strawberry Hill Golf Club, Twickenham Golf Club (David Lloyd) Crane Park, Shacklegate Lane, Teddington Studios, Langdon Park, Broom Recreation Ground, Castle Park and a significant proportion of Bushy Park.
The areas that will become under threat for Richmond are: Old Deer Park, Terrace Gardens, Petersham Meadows, Hamlands, Latchmere Recreation Ground, Richmond Park Golf Course, Barns Elms, Barns Common, Roehampton Playing Fields and a significant part of Richmond Park.
Within the Lib Dems, Conservative and Labour’s current position, it is inevitable that all of this open space will be lost, because they have not published a housing policy which could cope with this vast need for housing. This is not a new phenomena, the Mayor’s London Plan in 2009 described London’s population as being “likely to continue its steady growth” and “unless something happens to reverse these deep seated trends, London’s population will continue to grow”. (GLA, London Plan).
The Conservatives were informed about the impending spiralling need for housing in October 2012 and have done nothing about it. The Lib Dems have been quoted saying “the more EU migrants the merrier” (Vince Cable, 2012) and the Labour party signed EU Directive 2004/38/EC allowing the free migration of unlimited numbers from Europe and the Greens also are not acknowledging the problem. ENACT is appalled that in the lead up to the General Election this information has not been made available to the public by any of these parties’ .
It is now a real and historic choice for the residents of Twickenham and Richmond at the General Election in May to stop this dramatic national change to their local way of life. There are currently proposals to build on Richmond College and Teddington studios and without an alternative, the rest of the areas listed could be under threat and built on in due course. This massive increase in population numbers will also affect the provision of future school places, health and welfare provision, jobs and Council services for local residents.
ENACT asks do we need to stop Twickenham and Richmond becoming totally urbanized; would you help ENACT to protect our local parks and open spaces by supporting ENACT.
Data from Office of National Statistics
If there are currently 27 million homes and a population of 63 million, then the housing stock has an average of 2.3 per dwelling. At the current 1% population growth rate, by 2085 the population of the 126 million will require 54 million homes, which also represents a doubling the built area of land in the UK
How this refers to Twickenham and Richmond is there are 83,000 homes and a population of 190,000. At the1% population growth rate the population will be 285,000 by 2050, so dividing this by the average dwelling rate of 2.3 per dwelling; this would be 124,000 homes, representing an increase of 41,000 homes.
The question must be asked of these parties; why are the Lib Dems, Conservatives, Labour and Greens allowing this to happen? Will we have to have wall to wall housing, before the damage this will cause to our Open Space and the fabric of communities is recognised?
The Problem with Population Growth – January 5 2017
The top issue affecting all aspects of life in the UK today and the top priority when making your voting choices in the General Election in May, is the ever increasing demands on resources from ever increasing numbers of people. To date, as Sir David Attenborough says “this has been a taboo subject”, but now he strongly encourages that people should talk freely about this to ensure a better standard of living for all; including a good environment, economy and social/cultural provision. Whenever a politician talks about the demands on NHS, School places, housing needs, wages, etc, in any way, their comments must be measures against the sheer number of people involved and whether this can be managed.
The table below shows the factors which increase population in the left column and the factors causing reduction in the right column. This has to be the principal reason deciding your vote in the General Election, or like the other political parties, you will be opening up the UK to the other factors in the right column; all of which seem a frightful prospect.
Table Of Options
| Increase Population (Good?) | Decrease Population (Good?) |
|
|
You see nature will choose from the right hand list unless we adjust our approach in the left hand column; because it is an inconvenient truth that as population increases resources decline for each individual in that population. Encouraging abstention, contraception, small families and having a single fair immigration policy for all countries outside the UK would be a start to solving future resource problems. Managing population will reduce the need for additional house building, building schools, roads, sewage works and pressure on the NHS. The question is will we be able to stop this population growth whilst there is still some open space and resources left, or will we wait until there are wall to wall people and the power has gone off?
Today we still do have a choice, but not for long, because even controlled growth, just means growth!!
