If you were Prime Minister for a day…
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 by Nigel
Someone just asked me, “If you were Prime Minister for one day, what would you do?”
It made me think. This is what I came up with: Getting solar panels onto the roof of every home and community building so that we can all generate our own electricity and not rely totally on (centrally generated) power from fossil fuels or nuclear.
Here’s what some of my friends said:
Laurence: “I’d make tackling world poverty #1 priority.”
Paul: “pump all CO2 from power stations underground…”
Nic: “I’d pass a law forbidding anything to be built or manufactured that didn’t pass a strict environmental and social audit. And to those who say it will cripple business, I’d say: think of the opportunities! Oh yes, and all imports would have to pass the same criteria…”
Emily: “4 day weeks / 3 day weekends.”
Now it’s your turn. What would you do?
(You can write your answer in the comment box below.)
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May 15th, 2008 at 10:01 am
That stopped me in my tracks.
I think I’d get on the phone for 24 hours and call every world leader I know
and ask them to do much more about poverty.
I nearly put climate change but if I could only talk about one thing I’d do
something about poverty and then more people would be able to work on
climate change and other world problems. Poverty keeps people trapped and
unable to do other stuff.
Very logical.
May 25th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I’d give the Dalai Lama a great big hug and ignore China’s criticism.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:47 am
I’d build a proper railway infrastructe - get goods transportation and people off the road and onto trains - just like the old days
June 4th, 2008 at 7:24 pm
I’d initiate legislation to give corporation tax reductions and income tax reductions as incentives to get all office workers (who can) work from home for two days a week so that we can cut CO2 emissions by up to 20%.
It would increase productivity for many as they’d be able to get on with their jobs. If they didn’t get the work done, their bosses could asses the impact. There’s no longer much of an excuse not to work from home - or not have to commute such stupid distances by car - with so much technology allowing us to have online chats, etc.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:33 am
We, at Tenbees, asked the same question of all the stall-holders at the UK Aware event a few days before you were asked. Here are the responses we got: http://www.tenbees.co.uk/1/life/news/2008/05/l20080513123334.php
January 8th, 2009 at 3:13 pm
We,All citizens of India have to Assume that we all Individuals are Prime Minister.In order to take care of public property,In other words our property.Mainly Elect a right person to control the Nation.
March 5th, 2009 at 3:32 am
Hello i am jeremy and im 11 years old but yes if someone asked me what would i do i i was Pm for the day it would be to:
1: get proper train stations so none gets killed anymore.
2: blow up every car and get eletric cars.
3: everyone is to have a happy life
March 5th, 2009 at 3:37 am
Also could any one else give me some onfi for my project about what a Pm would do during a daily baises plz .thnx
March 7th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
If I was Prime Minister, upon assuming the position I will summon Cabinet for a briefing session. If not satisfied with the report by my Ministers, upon consultaton with my Attorney General I will issue directives for each to follow so as to have the good functioning of the government. One must remember that the PM is the Head of Government and should be a leader with exceptional qualities and fit to lead. Able to control the government and the Cabinet and issue directives so as to have ministers function in a way consistent to the constitution and in the best interest of the people and the nation on a whole
June 13th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
DUDE GET A LIFE!
June 16th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Dan said:
“I’d initiate legislation to give corporation tax reductions and income tax reductions as incentives to get all office workers (who can) work from home for two days a week so that we can cut CO2 emissions by up to 20%.”
I’m not sure that would do much.
If you work at home, you have to heat it etc.
The only thing it would cut out is the journey, plus a company can probably heat a building more efficiently for a large number of people than lots of individuals could at home. Plus the work place would still need to be heated for those that went to the ‘office’.
A better option is for the workplace to be close to home.
September 26th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
I would declare a Relaxation day… and a Harry Potter day!!!
September 27th, 2009 at 9:56 am
I’ve thought of something else: introduce a maximum wage, that’s 10 times the average wage. That way, if you want to earn more than the max, you have to help the people at the bottom.
(actually I first heard this at a Mark Thomas gig)
September 28th, 2009 at 8:47 am
I’d declare a 4 day week. That would cut emissions.
September 29th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
You’d have to make it based on yearly wage, not hourly wage.
Lots of people earn 10 times the average hourly wage and then sit around for ages enjoying a life of leisure.
If they earn 10 times more than the average wage they are taxed at a higher rate - their penalty for earning more.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:01 am
The average (PAYE) annual wage in the UK was around £24900 in 2008
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=285
To keep to that level if we all worked 4 days would mean working smarter, not harder. Surely a good thing?
December 28th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
My name is Mitch, I am a presenter for Venom FM and am running the same question on air for the next 2 weeks. There is a face book group called Mitch for PM and I am relaying al the publics ideas. You can contact me at Venom.fm@live.co.uk and tune in at 6pm till 10 every night by going to www.venomfm.weebly.com. Lets together make Britain grait again
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:28 am
If I were Prime Minister for the dsy ide make sure the State pension for all British pensioners was increased to Â?250 a week, and that means testing and council tax were abolished for pensioners.
Because this generation have already spent their working lives paying tax and NI Insurance.
They should all now be able to live a life free of worry about finances.
I would pay for the increase in the State pension by doubling, even trebling our Gross National Product toward State pensions.
For almosty 30 years the amount of GNP used to fund State pensions in Britain has been just 5 per cent, this needs to increase forthwith.
And no, im not a pensioner.
June 6th, 2010 at 6:33 am
Um I think i dunno! LOL
March 9th, 2011 at 11:55 pm
very in tresting
March 9th, 2011 at 11:56 pm
i would love that too
April 4th, 2011 at 8:43 pm
I chose this question for a survey I am doing for a math assignment. I am in grade 9 and we are doing a unit in data analysis. Was just looking over all the comments and thought that people looked at a very global perspective. Any thoughts that could immediately effect Canada? Maybe a recall on the HST tax in B.C???
April 20th, 2011 at 4:51 pm
From the UK
- Increase the Bank Levy from 0.04% to 0.15%
- Implement a Robin Hood Tax on all Bank Transactions - 0.05%
- Implement a Graduate Tax to pay for HE, removing Student Fees
-
May 30th, 2011 at 9:54 am
Hi Guys,
my major mission would be to achieve peace so that every man or women living in my state should feel secure.
December 19th, 2011 at 2:15 pm
I would like to increase our arms and ammuniton power . I would also like to increase soldier’s income and will provide them the best facilities that I can. I love INDIA ARMY . I would like to join army and serve nation rather than all thses corrupted politicians!!!!!!!!!!!!