Summary of political beliefs

[ChrisDR68]

My views are moderately centre left.

A more equitable distribution of wealth is something I believe in. The gap between rich and poor is fairly narrow in Scandinavian countries and Germany and UK should aim for a similar outcome.

The NHS and welfare state are good things although the present coalition government is attempting to make work pay so people are encouraged to come off benefits and I agree with that.

Social mobility has stalled in the UK and I have a suspicion the abolition of most of the grammar schools in the 60's and 70's has something to do with it so I would support policies which brought them back so long as funding for the current comprehensives are kept in line with them. 

I'm in favour of state funding for political parties as the current system tends to encourage corruption. What each party spends at general elections should be dependent on the average level of support they obtained in the previous three general elections.

The energy companies should either be regulated far more rigorously or brought back into public ownership as privatisation clearly hasn't worked as it should have.

New laws should be introduced so that if there is another banking crisis the bank bosses can be prosecuted and if found guilty of serious illegality then thrown in jail.

On social issues I'm against the death penalty and legalising drugs and in favour of allowing abortion (although I'd like the amount of time a woman can carry a baby before it is aborted reduced).