The impending UK euro-elections seem likely largely to be decided by votes against, (and apathy or general disillusionment).

My first priority must be to cast my vote tactically so as to minimise the prospects of the loathsome BNP.

My second - to vote against the inheritors of the mantle of the truly evil Margaret Thatcher.

Awkwardly, in general there is no Labour or socialist party since Mr B. Liar and Mandelson (with something of the night about him - the only thing I ever agreed with Doris Karloff about) turned "New Labour" into something rather to the right of former "one nation" conservatism. I had no Socialist Labour Party or Respect Candidate last Euro-election - and I have my doubts about Mr Galloway: the price of his suits is an offence to the working man.

UKIP has one virtue - its opposition to the tide of often ill-considered (although sometimes well-intended) and almost always appallingly drafted diktats that emanate from our masters that art in Brussells (although to be fair the Working Time Directive has many virtues apart from Thatcher's passport to oppression (the opt-out)). However UKIP's association with Mr Kilroy-Silk and its close working with the BNP rule it out.

Pretty much - that leaves you. But I have some direct questions.


1. I know that you are anti-car. But how do you structure your plans to price hydrocarbon-burners out of mass reach? It seems to me that it is only the USE, not the possession of them that harms the planet - that and the environmental costs of building and scrapping them. Therefore policy should be to encourage long life and low use - pretty much the direct opposite of current government policies such as the ill-considered "scrappage" scheme.
    (a) Will you retain the road fund licence (and increase its cost) - or will you integrate it with possibly increased fuel duty leaving the MoT (and a resulting MoT disc, which could be on a continuing licence or SORN basis)?
    (b) Will you expand road pricing - in direct opposition to the core concept of "highway" that has been part of English law since time immemorial?
    (c) Will you re-nationalise and control railways?

2. It is big business and greed that has caused the present crisis.
    (a) What will you do to control debt gambling by banks?
    (b) What will you do to control international money flight - the direct enabler of specualtor attacks on currencies?
    (c) What will you do to end the scandal of "tax planning" that means the rich pay less than the poor and rich companies less than either? I suggest a legal presumption that tax is to be calculated on the most direct method of carrying out a transaction. and another that no transaction be deductible for tax purposes unless it can be shown that (apart from tax saving) the commercial benefit of it exceeded the transactional costs. Perhaps statute could also create professional duties for lawyers and accountants that advising on how to save tax is as professionally improper as advising how to carry out a crime.

3. The poorest in society suffer the most complex support and subsidy system - with the result that those who need benefit often do not get it, many who do not need it play the system to get too much, and the administrative costs are frightening. How will you fix this? I favour a negative income tax, so doing away with the double administrative structure.

4. The present goverment seems intent on destroying legal aid - the ultimate bastion of defence (short of violence) against state oppression. I favour a national legal service, like a national health service. What will you do?

5. England and Wales, almost uniquely in Europe, have no formal state supported system for preservation and promotion of national or local traditions folk arts, folk music, folk dance, etc. These things are treated by the powers that be as no part of "Culture".   What will you do to cure this?


Yours faithfully


Richard McD. Bridge.