Fix roads with dedicated funding
I’m genuinely at the end of my tether with the state of our roads. It feels like we’ve quietly accepted that crumbling surfaces, endless potholes and patchwork repairs are just how things are now - they shouldn’t be.
As a teacher I see the knock-on effect every morning. One of the most common reasons this year for parents arriving late is a puncture or wheel damage.
As a commuter I have experienced the same thing myself. This is not just an inconvenience. It affects punctuality, productivity, vehicle costs and, most importantly, safety.
Cyclists are forced to swerve into traffic to avoid hazards, drivers brake unpredictably and emergency vehicles lose valuable time. We are normalising something that would not be tolerated in any other critical public service!
The proposal is straightforward and practical. We introduce a ring-fenced national road maintenance fund, protected by law so that it cannot be diverted into other areas of spending.
This fund would be supported through a combination of existing government allocation and a modest, clearly explained adjustment to vehicle taxation. Not a significant burden, but a targeted contribution that directly improves the infrastructure people rely on every single day.
The real benefit of this approach is stability. With predictable funding in place, local authorities can move away from reactive, short-term patching and instead plan proper, preventative maintenance. That shift alone reduces long-term costs and leads to far more durable roads. Just as importantly, ring-fencing the money builds public trust. People are far more willing to contribute when they know exactly where their money is going and can see the results in their own communities.
The fund would be delivered at a local level, with councils responsible for identifying and prioritising the roads most in need of repair. However, this would sit within a clear national framework, ensuring consistent standards and full transparency. Spending would be openly reported, repair schedules would be visible to the public, and performance would be measured against long-term outcomes rather than quick fixes that simply push the problem down the road.
This is not about creating perfect roads or over-engineering the system. It is about restoring a basic, reliable standard that people should be able to expect. Roads are fundamental infrastructure. They underpin access to education, work, healthcare and emergency services.
Right now, we are already paying the price of neglect through vehicle damage, lost time and increased risk. This proposal simply redirects that cost into something proactive, accountable and effective. Fixing our roads is not an ambitious or unrealistic goal. It is a decision to stop accepting gradual decline as inevitable and start treating essential infrastructure with the seriousness it deserves.
Enough is Enough: Let's Actually Build Some Decent Homes for Working People
We need a radical shift in housing policy, starting with a massive, publicly funded social housing building program. This isn't about tinkering around the edges; it's about addressing a crisis that's locking generations out of a secure future. For too long, we've seen homes treated as commodities for profit rather than essential shelter, driving prices sky-high and leaving young families and key workers struggling to find anywhere affordable to live.
This program would involve local authorities and housing associations being given the resources and mandate to build high-quality, energy-efficient council homes and affordable rented properties on a scale not seen since the post-war era. We're talking about homes designed for families, with decent-sized rooms and green spaces, not shoebox flats pushed through planning by developers looking for the quickest buck.
Enough is Enough! Let's Actually Fund Our NHS, Not Just Clap For It
I was in the GP waiting room last week, same as everyone else, and overheard this poor woman practically in tears. She’d been trying to get an appointment for her mum, who’s seriously unwell, for weeks. Kept getting palmed off, told the earliest she could see anyone was next month, and that was just for a phone call. It’s just not good enough, is it? We’ve all seen the headlines, heard the stories, and frankly, the constant 'underfunding' excuse is wearing thin. It’s not a mystery why things are so dire.
This proposal is about finally treating our NHS like the vital public service it is. We need a massive injection of cash, not just for the frontline staff who are frankly miracle workers, but for the infrastructure too. That means more beds, updated equipment, and a serious commitment to training and retaining healthcare professionals. We need to look at the private sector’s involvement too.
Dignity in Dying: A Compassionate End to Suffering, Not a Shortcut for the State
It’s absolutely right that we talk about dignity at the end of life. No one should have to endure unnecessary suffering. However, I’m deeply uneasy about the focus on assisted dying as the primary solution. My concern, as a teacher and a mum, is that this legislation could inadvertently put pressure on vulnerable people, especially if our social care and palliative services aren’t up to scratch. We need to ensure that the ‘safeguards’ aren’t just boxes to tick, but genuine support systems that address the root causes of suffering.
What does ‘settled’ mean when someone is in pain and feeling like a burden? We should be investing massively in excellent palliative care, accessible to everyone, everywhere. That means pain management, emotional support, and practical help for families.
Tax the rich to fund our schools
I think we should introduce a wealth tax to fund our public schools, it's about time the rich paid their fair share to ensure every kid gets a decent education. This is needed because our schools are struggling to make ends meet, with teachers buying supplies out of their own pockets and classrooms overcrowded, it's a joke. We can't keep relying on charity and volunteers to plug the gaps, we need a proper funding system.
Our public schools are the backbone of our society, they're where our kids learn the skills they need to succeed, and yet we're not giving them the resources they need to do their job properly. A wealth tax would change that, it would mean the people who have benefited most from our society contribute a bit more to ensure everyone's kids get a good education. It's not like the rich are going to stop investing in property or stocks just because they have to pay a bit more tax, they'll still be rich.
Stop Pricing Out Our Kids
I was at the school gates the other day and I got talking to one of the mums, she's a nurse at the local hospital, and she was telling me she's had to move to Luton because she can't afford a flat in Barnet anymore, it's just ridiculous.
I know she's not alone, I've seen it with my own kids, they're getting older and they're starting to think about moving out, but where are they supposed to go, all the affordable housing is being snapped up by investors or turned into fancy flats for people who don't even live here. It's like our community is being ripped apart, and it's not just about the housing, it's about the people, the families, the kids who are going to grow up without a stable home.
I think the council needs to start taking some responsibility for this, they need to start building more affordable housing, and not just any old flats, but decent homes with gardens and green spaces, where kids can actually grow up and thrive.
What do you think?
Vote on individual policies, adapt them, or write your own alternative. Good ideas should be tested.