Mike Scott-Hayward
AN INDEPENDENT’S MANIFESTO FOR AN
Independent Sovereign
Democratic Britain
26
March 2015
OVERARCHING
PRINCIPLES
Independent Britain
Independent,
to emphasise that British sovereignty shall no longer be shared or surrendered.
Britain Governing herself, not
governed by any supra national authority – and therefore not in the EU.
Britain represented only by the
British Government abroad and in all international organisations – such as the
UNO, IMF, IMO, NATO, EFTA, et al.
Sovereign Britain
The
Sovereign-in-Parliament final arbiter over British Citizens
Democratic Britain
Democratic not Bureaucratic
POLICY GUIDELINES
·
Defence
o
SLBM based Nuclear Deterrent.
o
Carrier Force – cover roles across
Atlantic/Mediterranean, Asian and Pacific regions.
o
Home Based and Quick Reaction Mobile Regular
Forces.
o
National Service including Civilian Overseas
Service and Volunteers.
o
Reserve Forces for Emergencies and to provide a Resilience
Corps.
o
Commonwealth Links – establish Commonwealth
Naval Task Groups/Squadrons etc
o
East of Suez Base/s
o
Strengthen the Royal fleet Auxiliary – emphasise
on new additional Disaster Relief role, including hospital ships.
·
Overseas Aid and Development:
o
Switch to
predominance of assistance provided through Armed Forces, National Service, RFA
and Civilian Overseas Service and Volunteers on development and aid projects coordinated by FCO and MOD.
o
Minimal Financial Support through partial
funding of projects delivered by British Companies
·
Security, Intelligence and Surveillance – better
resources.
·
Immigration
o
Principle that the UK Border Controls and Immigration
are wholly subject to the sovereign will of Parliament which alone sets and
alters law and rules as required from time to time.
o
Immigration Quotas will be set when and if
necessary based on impact on UK infrastructure and needs.
o
Refugees – People seeking Asylum will always be
treated as special case with decisions taken under the Royal Prerogative.
o
Immigrants
§
People seeking permanent British Residential
Status and Citizenship, either:
·
Having British Roots: Will become British Subjects and Citizens of
UK and Colonies upon proof of connection which meets criteria set by Parliament from time to time,
or
·
Not having British roots but seeking full British
Citizenship: May become British Subjects
and Citizens of UK and Colonies on application and meeting criteria set by
Parliament from time to time, after 5 year qualification and contribution
period during which time they must have held an appropriate Entry Visa.
§
People seeking Limited Residential Status
(Renewable periodically), for the purpose of work, study or investment:
·
Entry Visa conditional upon holding proof, and
continued applicability, of full medical insurance cover and proof of:
o
Employment Position covered by Employers
Certificate of necessity and remunerated
sufficiently so as to ensure the entrant will be fully self-financing in
respect of all own living, accommodation needs and of any admissible accompanying
dependents; or
o
Fully funded University (or other approved
establishment) place including full living and accommodation expenses or
o
Fully Self Financing in all respect, including
medical insurance and ability to maintain investment or bank deposit holdings
at level set from time to time by Parliament.
o
Tourists – Time limited Visas subject to proof
of Medical Care Insurance and sufficient holding of funds for intended visit
activities.
·
The Commonwealth.
o
Renew emphasis on cooperation with Commonwealth in
international affairs
o
Renew and encourage trade with and within the
Commonwealth. Propose a Commonwealth
Free Trade Agreement.
·
Small Business:
o
Solution to Late Payment Problem – HMRC penalise
late payers, via VAT returns.
o
Business Rates – based directly on premises size
(area/square footage), not location, use, etc, in two bands: PLCs and SMEs
·
NHS:
o
NHS UK – stronger Hospital Based structure with
autonomous GP practices
o
Care Homes – sourced by Hospitals, from Council,
Social, Charity and Private Sector (Nanny cannot do it all)
·
Democracy
o
Parliament
§
Cohesive Parliamentary Structure
§
Westminster integrated with four National
Parliaments – MPs sit at Westminster and in National Parliaments, with
additional National Members for PR balance.
§
Repeal the Coalition clamp on motions of
confidence and the fixed term restriction of democracy.
o
Recall - Simple system of by election called
when 30% of registered voters sign petition.
o
Binding Local Referenda: Council Decisions,
including Planning Consents, overturned by referendum of voters in affected
wards when appeal called by 20% of the relevant voters.
·
Smaller Government – Guiding Principle should be
to not legislate unless doing so is only solution.
·
Housing – Remit of the National Parliaments but
need for a UK regime encouraging first/single home ownership.
·
International Trade –Engage in full trading
relationships worldwide with an emphasis on trade with the Commonwealth, EFTA
and the USA.
·
Energy
o
Full mix led by nuclear with clean oil, gas and
coal technology, fracking, tidal, solar and riparian power.
o
No subsidy, support or targets for intermittent
wind or wave power but no bar to private development if Planning Consent,
decided “in county”, is agreed. (See Planning).
·
Railways
o
HS2 becomes United Kingdom High Speed Railway
(UK HSR): Floated for public and private
investment, build from both ends (and even the middle outwards), including
Scotland and Wales. Must have high
freight capacity.
o
Encourage investment in new rail links using
fiscal leniency.
o
Review Rail Franchises- longer term investments
·
Personal Taxation and Welfare Support
o
Properly establish system as advocated by the
tax Payers Alliance, whereby a choice between a Citizen Benefit and a Tax free
Allowance, removes benefit trap and encourages people to take employment
without facing claw-backs.
·
Space Exploration: Tax free unsubsidized environment to
encourage British ventures.
·
Human Trafficking: Human trafficking has increased; it is
abhorrent and a prime cause involves prostitution. Prostitution cannot be stopped but a safer
environment can be created to protect for sex workers as well and creating a
disincentive, taking the profit out of human trafficking.
o
Regulation a preferred, safer and better route than unenforceable wholesale
prohibition
o
License sex workers’ register, approved and held
by local authority.
o
Human Trafficking (for any purpose) to carry
minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment without parole
·
Coalition- in extremis only – supply and
confidence support
Mike
Scott-Hayward
