Key political issues for the next 4-5 years

Over the next 4-5 years, key issues that our public servant will, on our behalf, vote and debate in Parliament will probably include matters such as:

• Protecting or Eroding Civil Rights: What do constituents feel about the multi-billion pound ID card system? Is the government’s anti-terror legislation excessively authoritarian or not?

• Investment, Ownership and Delivery of Public Services: How can essential investment in public services be increased whilst keeping the books balanced? Should our essential public services be publicly-owned and delivered on a not-for profit basis?

• Funding and Future of ‘Social Welfare’: Do we really need yet more Thatcherite ‘reforms’ to dismantle the welfare state (such as ‘getting tough’ on invalidity benefit claimants and the possibility of compulsory private pensions for poor people)?

• Making Poverty History at Home and Abroad: How best can child and adult poverty be tackled in this country? How can trade justice and debt cancellation be further promoted with our international sisters and brothers in the Global South?

• George W Bush & a New Arms Race: Should or shouldn’t we be providing George W Bush with a UK base for his so-called 'National Missile Defence System'?

• Nuclear Weapons: Should the UK spend billions of pounds on upgrading its own 'Weapons of Mass Destruction'? How can non-proliferation and multi-lateral disarmament be promoted and enforced?
  

• Climate Change: What approaches should be taken to address Climate Change?

• Nuclear Power Stations: What do constituents think about the prospect of more nuclear power stations in this country?

• Europe: What relationship do we want to have with the EU and how can the quality of European democracy be improved?

• Iraq occupation and war: Is the continued occupation of Iraq counter-productive? When should our troops leave? How can we prevent a a re-run of the Iraq war in another country?

• Refugees, Migrants and Trafficking: How fairly are refugees and migrants being treated and portrayed? Are UN conventions on refugees, migrants and trafficking being respected and promoted?

• Electoral Reform: How can the functioning of our electoral democracy be improved?