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Party platform (UK edition)

 Tory platform:  National Service

You would think that the concept of re-introducing the national service would be something the Tories would have spent one or two hours at least discussing among themselves.  Turns out not so much.   The concept of bringing young people to organized military or civilian service is a good one if it works, most countries that have compulsory military services tend to waste the young people's time.  The reason the Germans and the French gave up was simple, 90% of conscripted young men did nothing for a 24 months.   

Can the UK afford to waste young people's lives when there is already a known shortage of young people?   Is the message class-based, and aside from the grand political words was there any real thought behind this?  I can assure you this was about as thought out as Donald Trump's "We will build a wall and they will pay for it".  All my acquaintances who are still active in the Conservative party were blindsided by the Prime Minister's announcement.   In less than 24 hours, already there has been a disclaimer that those who refuse will not go to jail!

Let's be clear it is entertaining as hell, and it will add fodder to Pub discussions across the nation.  But really who cares?  First, the results are baked in the cake, in 39 days we will have a labour government.    Tories will be the official opposition and will spend the next decade in the wilderness.   First, we will have the "Liz and Boris show" for three to four years -- but it will resonate with no one and the leader after that may have a chance.  

Policy will be driven by Labour.  If I was Keir Starmer I would be nervous.  The challenges for the UK are vast;

  1. Dealing with the two giants (EU & USA).   How does the UK government find the right policy to meet the needs of the people of the United Kingdom.
  2. Demographics, Food and Energy Security are the country's most important challenges for the next decade.   
  3. Workers will want a bigger share of the pie -- they will get it, not because of policy but because there are fewer of them, and foreign-sourced workers are declining.   A very complex problem for any government, this will create inflation, but rest assured the UK is not the only country that will see this shift.
  4. The EU needs to continue to ostracise the United Kingdom, to retain the cohesiveness of the union.   The UK is the cautionary tale.   Starmer is a smart fellow, he understands the issues (God I hope he does).
  5. The United Kingdom HAS to be part of the American alliance (Canada/Mexico/Australia & Japan) right now the UK is not part of the American plan -- the UK needs the US more than the US needs the UK.  There is a very difficult negotiation there, Starmer will have to use his limited political capital on that (and to do so very soon).
  6. Energy security is part of the American discussion (there is no getting away from that)
  7. Food security has to be the focus of this new government, every single law for the import of food in this country should be for the benefit of its people (all of them).   Making trade barriers work for the people (and I don't mean farmers here).   For the past few years, the new border rules seem to be driven by a desire to raise food prices (if that was not the objective of intent it was definitively the outcome).  This is a massive task for the new administration.
The new government will have to resist protectionist policies, especially with regard to immigration.   The reality of the UK is that immigration has been a huge boost to the country, but only if it's permanent.  Guest worker programs only depress wages.

Since Brexit, some would say even before, the Tories have been short of ideas (good or bad), instead, the core of the party has been eaten away by the carpetbaggers and the demagogs (you know who you are).   A good  (and long) rest in the opposition is overdue.    Labout has a few massive challenges it will be interesting to see if Ken is up to the task.

As for Liberals & Democrats -- who cares (I don't really care about the Tories but I knew them and they are a spent force).   Over the next five years the real risks are that there will not be any real opposition to make the UK parliament supreme in creating long-lasting and meaningful legislation.

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