On 12 September 2022 I'm setting off on a five day walk from North Hertfordshire to 10 Downing Street to deliver a simple message to the new Prime Minister: Stop talking…and listen to us!
We all deserve to have our voices heard by the politicians that are supposed to represent us. The next months and years seem really scary for most of us, and it’s difficult to see how future generations could possibly achieve a good life for themselves. Something desperately needs to change. Unfortunately, those in power in the UK are distracted and not actually listening to us…read more
I've witnessed first hand how the cost of living crisis has exacerbated homelessness in London. I struggle to understand how boroughs in London, one of the richest cities in the world, can't house everyone. Every single day I encounter someone who is insecurely housed. It has reached the point where there are people sleeping on doorsteps and in bin sheds. This is also accompanied by more public use of drugs which just exacerbates the issue. I want the government to start taking homelessness seriously and end this negligence! There is no reason why anyone in this country should live without a place to safely call home. Safe, comfortable and secure housing for everyone needs to be at the top of this government's priorities.
Thank you for doing this walk! Climate Change is the most pressing issue for me, it should be at the top of every Politician's list - it's a disgrace that it isn't!!
I would tell the government to improve the childcare system. Many younger people are now having to choose to not have a family because they simply cannot afford the childcare costs. At the same time nursery staff and teachers are struggling to even meet their own needs during the cost of living crisis. If the government want people to start families like they say they do, they have to increase funding into childcare and support services, like free school meals, and address the unfair pay of education workers.
Everything is collapsing and we are not learning any lessons.
In 2020, Rishi Sunak as Chancellor announced 50 schools to be refurbished or rebuilt each year. That will take 440 years to refurbish all UK’s 22,000 schools at this rate. Again on schools, so far 104 schools closed due to presence of crumbling concrete and faulty building regulations. Bizarrely, recently Michael Gove, the Secretary of housing and communities, announced plan to dilute building regulations.
Meanwhile, sewage issues has been pushed under the carpet. More than 100 new homes are now discharging into an already overstretched system. The Victorian sewage system is managed by the Severn Trent Water, has been unable to cope. Although local people have written to Severn Trent CEO about the appalling issue, but have been told by the water company rep that improvements will be made within a 20 year time frame. The Severn Trent Water CEO is the highest paid water chief earning more than £3.2m in 2022/23. The government must start focussing on improving public services.
The newspapers are digging their own graves by spreading only doom and gloom. They have an important role in a democracy and need to be reminded of that. They are necessary to report objectlvely on news and developments and explain their background to the reader to enable them to make informed decisions.
I want the government to put an obligation in law that they report in equal measure on positive steps and developments; check their headlines for objectivity, not allowing hair-raising statements which cannot be upheld in any detailed analysis; make them follow up any reports on negative events with proper research how the government, NGO's, local community and private people have tried to remedy the situation. This would give hope and confidence into the future. At the moment, it is best not to read the papers to remain level-headed and positive. The mission statement of each newspaper should reflect their duty to uphold social coherence and a positive spirit to work together. At the moment they are at risk of destroying society, I am afraid.