Quakers of all ages and backgrounds in every corner of Britain will be affected by the decisions of the new government

We invited a selection of Quakers to tell us what change they would most like the next government to implement and why

Visit http://thefriend.org/article/what-change/ to read the introduction to this feature. Tim Newell: prison reform
I hope the new government will cancel the prison building programme, take on a target to halve the prison population in three years by alternative community based restorative projects, develop supportive interventions with families in need and work hard to sustain the start made to meet the needs of victims of serious crime. This restorative programme would not be popular with the media but at a time of looking at government waste the billions spent in the justice system shows a very poor return. There is so much evidence that punishing in prison does not work in reducing the risk and fear of crime.

It would be good to have an administration that uses evidence to develop policy as well as having principles of inclusivity, respect for all, sharing wealth and supportive opportunity. This would replace the sets of beliefs that seem to prevail at present – elitism, exclusion, prejudice, greed and despair.

Empowering communities to take greater responsibility for their locality and for looking after their people through neighbourhood courts would soon develop imaginative alternatives to punishment and lead to greater equality.

We should be ashamed of ourselves with our legacy of punishment, damaging the prospects of thousands of people who are difficult to live alongside. Most of the items hoped for can be found in the various manifestoes! Time for courageous action! We can all be more than we are.

Chris McCartney: stop renewal of Trident
In rural Argyll and Bute, where wages are lower than average and the costs of living and property are higher, people might care a bit more about farming, transport and how they are going to get to the nearest hospital if something happens, but voters, more or less, have the same concerns as everywhere else.

We also have, nestled on one of our idyllic sea lochs, Faslane Naval Base, home of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. Thinking about what one thing I would like the new government to do, I can’t get away from that.

It doesn’t make you a radical activist or a committed pacifist to conclude the decision to renew Trident is completely wrong. While the USA and Russia agree to cut down their nuclear stockpiles, the UK is setting about modernising theirs. We are told daily about the unprecedented pressure on public spending and the need to cut the deficit, while the up to £100bn price tag for these weapons dangles.

I believe the decision to replace Trident is morally wrong, but it also seems illogical on so many other grounds. I hope the next government will rethink it.

Paul Redgate: refresh democracy
The last decade witnessed the minimum wage, equality and diversity rights, trade union recognition and representation rights, flexible working, civil partnerships and Sure Start, to name but a few. I don’t want to change any of these.
2010 was the seventy-fifth anniversary of universal adult suffrage. I don’t want to change this either.

However, I am concerned that our democracy remains infantile and as a consequence, the warm glow we feel from the new rights and responsibilities around basic dignity may turn in to a rictus grin.

Over the centuries our ancestors were imprisoned, transported and cut down by armed yeomanry, for having the impudence of seeking a say in our governance in order to achieve a fairer world. After seventy-five years we can’t be bothered.

Early Friends lived in a time of spiritual, political and social turmoil. I warrant they would find our apathetic progress hard to comprehend.

Scrap the House of Lords (its name says it all), retire the monarchy and make a start with annual elections at council level. A people seeking progress in equality and diversity deserve a mature society.

Jo Scott: one MP, one job
I won’t be voting, I’m of no fixed abode. It’s not impossible, just very difficult, and I would have to be economical with the truth. In 1987 Ken Livingstone wrote a book called If Voting Changed Anything, They’d Abolish It. I feel this is more true than ever this time.

I want to see equality, that means MPs from all walks of life, not a parliament top heavy with lawyers and financiers, but a workforce of MPs who have but one job; helping to make Britain a better place. I want to see commitment to strong socialist policies that benefit all in society, such as a maximum 20:1 pay differential and a higher tax threshold for low income earners. It means honesty and trustworthiness, less apportioning blame and more cooperation to find viable solutions with which we can work to become a better society. Why? Because, like all true Quakers, I believe in Equality, Peace, Truth and Simplicity.


Elizabeth Bayliss: protect public spaces
Whatever government assumes power I want it to protect common land. This issue is not, for me, just about land but about spiritual, mental and emotional health. Communities, especially mixed ones including new migrants, poor and rich people, must have access to shared public spaces, parks and gardens.

In parts of London we have multicultural communities, people from very different ethnic and religious backgrounds live densely packed together, and these spaces offer one of the few opportunities to share with other groups, free of charge and on an equal basis. Otherwise people can lead very isolated lives. This is essential to my concept of equality – the Quaker testimony to equality is very important to me. It is vital that people living in difficult conditions, many of whom have run away from distress, have a sense of being included in society and not excluded. Being able to walk and play games in shared, safe spaces is about being part of society. People, especially those living in flats, need access to the sky. London has a lack of free public spaces and I believe the new government must protect what there is.

Chris Holman: promote participation
I hope the new government will change the political attitude to society. We find ourselves and our worth through our relationships with one another and with the planet on which we live: building a society to support this is an active political task. Policies that favour the building of a strong and resilient society, in which the less fortunate are supported and enabled to participate fully, and in which each person really wants to contribute, are not those that rely upon the ‘wisdom’ of markets. We will have to face up to a number of interlocking global threats in the coming years – the economic crisis and the changing world economy; ecological pressures and climate change; population movements, refugees, and international concerns over fairness of opportunity. To do so, I think we will need to ‘take heed to the promptings of love and truth in our heart’ – which requires that each of us feels involved and engaged.

Barbara Aynsley Smith: build for peace not war
The new government should not spend billions of pounds on new Trident missiles. The money should be used for more productive purposes. For some people Trident represents a symbol of national prestige. It is a stupid belief. I was in London and Manchester during the second world war and I saw the devastation caused by war. War causes enormous suffering. I was a student and was on ‘searcher service’, which meant that if someone was missing we had to try and find them. There were terrible bombing raids. We often found that bombs had destroyed the homes we went to. It had a great effect on me and I became very aware of man’s inhumanity to man. I was brought up a Quaker and it made me realise that the belief in creating a peaceful and better society, as William Beveridge and others did at the end of the war, was the bedrock of my faith. We must oppose war and the expenditure of vast amounts of money on symbols of national pride like Trident.

I believe that your religious faith must lead to action. It is useless to keep it within yourself. You must find out what God wants you to do and do it.

Luke Wilde: action on climate change
I run a small business with an international outlook and, like other members of the Quakers and Business group, am concerned to promote ethical business practice and sustainable development. I would like to see a real change in policy on climate change. The outgoing government’s commitments to reducing greenhouse gases, which are in statute, should be seen as a minimum. Investment to create a low carbon society must be accelerated and every effort made to get a written global agreement as a follow up to Copenhagen. I share other broad priorities of Quakers and Business such as responsible business and some kind of ‘Cadbury’s law’.

Ellen Elliott: politicians must work together
One change? I’d like a change in the atmosphere. There are so many concerns really, but I’ve been excited by how this election campaign has come to life. I hope a breath of fresh air has been injected into politics.

The thing I’d like to see is more constructive engagement between the politicians. David Cameron initially criticised ‘Punch and Judy politics’ before helpfully demonstrating it a short time later. I got sick of point-scoring debates, and I want to see humour and debate used in a more constructive way. It’s something hard to pin down but I think we want to regain the sense of different parts of the country pulling together, a return of some sense of a common good we are working towards, that there is something that it means to be British besides consumerism, whether bargain, aspirational or (dare I say it) ethical. The House of Commons must surely be a key element in that.

Collaboration and constructive exchange in policy-making is a massively important skill for twenty-first century politicians, whether about ecology or ‘simply’ politics in a post-warmongering international political age (okay I’m a bit ahead of myself). I also have concerns over Trident, peacemaking as an activity, stewardship of public health and public education, and new approaches in the justice system.

Twelve more Quakers give their contributions:

Elizabeth Cave: a more equal society
The prime minister of Bhutan advocates ‘gross national happiness’. ‘Gross domestic product’ – where, for example, creating pollution and clearing it up count as two benefits – must be abolished as the measure of national success. Despite the Club of Rome manifesto, Limits to Growth, back in 1972, all the main political parties continue to ignore the realities of our finite world, advocating growth as the prerequisite for improvements in society. The Spirit Level has been surprisingly widely discussed, with its message that richer societies, which consume more, are no happier unless they are also more equal. The goal must be prosperity without economic growth.

Only when rich countries cut our unsustainable consumption can places such as Rwanda, where I am now teaching sustainable kitchen gardening, have models for development that will enable them to value, for example, walking and breast-feeding, while tackling hunger and absolute poverty.

Rachael Booth: values to live by
It’s hard to think of one change that a new government could make which would, alone, make a significant difference to my life. It seems that the most important change would be political reform; not because it would necessarily have an immediate impact, but it would allow for more changes and a much fairer system of government in the future. Currently, our political system is lacking in certain areas, such as the Quaker values of Integrity and Equality. It’s not great on the other testimonies either, but for a system of government they are less important, and should follow from the first two. Although you could say that these values are issues of faith, so should have little role in government, I see them more as values for all to live by, regardless of faith. If a new government managed to instil these values irrevocably into our political system, then that could only be a change for the better.

Sharon Langridge: treat asylum seekers with respect
I would like a new government to change the asylum process: to give asylum seekers better access to legal advice and sufficient time to prepare a case; allow them to work while waiting for a decision; allow children recognised as refugees to be joined by their parents; allow those whose claims are refused to work or claim benefits until they leave the country and abolish the detention of adults and children whose claims are refused.

As a Quaker, and having worked with and make friends among asylum seekers, I’m ashamed to live in a country that treats people seeing refuge as if they were criminals, and makes refused asylum seekers destitute. Current asylum law directly contradicts the teachings and example of Jesus and our Quaker testimonies to justice and equality. We should be offering hospitality and sanctuary, and celebrating the contribution that visitors can make to our country.

Alison Parkes: children deserve better
I’m a mother and breastfeeding counsellor with La Leche League, and for many years I worked as a dance/drama practitioner with young children. My answer to this question stems from my experience as well as my belief in “that of God” in everyone, which is probably best nurtured in childhood by the love of the family.

I would like to see the well-being of children at the centre of the next government’s actions. Children in a secure home, with loving and supportive primary relationships, have the best chance of a good childhood, leading to fulfilled adult lives. I want to see our society as one that truly values childhood – the importance of the bond between a mother and her baby, the importance of play, the importance of children living in a safe and healthy environment, inside and outside the home, whichever part of the country that may be.

Hannah Brock: tax airline companies per flight
The Quaker testimony to the earth calls us to take note of our impact on the environment. On a recent trip to Kenya, I witnessed the effects of climate change on poor communities. I feel compelled to act on behalf of these people who are suffering – this means holding our own representatives to account for Britain’s contribution to global warming.

We need to reduce the number of planes in the air.

The government should tax companies per flight, not per passenger. This would force companies to scale down their timetables. Currently, air freight pays no tax on aviation fuel, so a simultaneous measure would be to initiate a toll on air freight, by charging VAT. This money could be used towards a budget for a ‘leapfrog’ fund for developing countries, giving them access to low-carbon technologies to ensure they don’t go through the stage of highly polluting industrialisation that we have done.

Gill Lowther: a better future
Politician Potential

The air was so blue without vapour trails
The air was so sweet with no ominous roar
A whiff of what was and what still could be
Ethereal Eden once more.

The parliamentary Billingsgate
Bankers, MPs, fishy funds
Whales and cod, red herrings too
Fried and smoked and hung for you.

Creationists all when it comes to blame
Pass the buck to the God without a name
Volcanoes and earthquakes, floods and war
All acts of God laid at His door.

Thirty-five thousand runners,
Or nightmare children gunners
An aching potential, a silent scream
Open your eyes, politicians, and see
A bit further than duckponds
To the fading dream.

What use the Houses of Parliament
Submerged beneath a flood?
A rising Thames will shrug it off
Atlantis in the mud.

No, hug a tree or hug a planet
Hug a hoodie, or polar bear
Amoebas, bees, politicians too
Gossamer web of rainbow hue
Please open your eyes and act your care
The Paradise dream could yet come true.

Adwoa Bittle: honesty in direction
The change I would most like a new government to implement isn't just about policies but more about a change in the way they govern. I would like to see a government that really listens to the people of the country. A government that is fair and consistent and very clear about where it is going and why. A government that explains the difficulties it faces and is truthful about what it can achieve. A government that admits mistakes humbly and fixes them carefully.

In terms of policies I would like to see the end of Trident, I would like the Child Trust Fund only to be for families that really need it and I would like the debt the country is in to be tackled carefully. The money will have to come from somewhere and it will hurt a lot but if we are governed honestly maybe it won't hurt so much.


Philip Austin: supporting interfaith work
I am involved in the work of our local interfaith council in Bolton, which seeks to build better understanding between people in the town. Our full-time worker has a tiny salary that has not increased for several years. Other similar bodies don't know where their next lot of funding will come from and have series' of people working in short bursts. I would hope that government funding can be re-directed from subsidising arms manufacture to supporting such organisations. Support for this type of work must be given on a longer-term and more realistic basis, if it is to produce the real benefits of transformed relationships across communities. I would also welcome the detachment of this work from the counter-terrorism agenda; building peace in society is a good thing to do for its own sake. As Friends, we know that this takes sustained time and commitment.

Jules Montgomery: multiple solutions
Dis-invest in the military, allow people to specify whether they want their taxes spent this way; support public transport, (free bus travel for all and reduce rail fares); discourage environmentally-unfriendly methods of flying; invest in alternative energy sources; subsidise local community energy initiatives; invest in projects that help people to avoid crime; modernise prisons; and facilitate affordable housing.

That’s quite a list for ‘off the top of my head’: if I ruled the world stuff. Personally I don’t see one solution to one issue as meaningful, and I recognise what a difficult job anyone in politics has in changing anything at all. Teilhard de Chardin said ‘You are not a human being in search of a spiritual experience. You are a spiritual being immersed in a human experience.’ I believe the one person I can change is myself. So I’ll start there.

A Young Friend: gay marriage
For me, gay marriage is the most important change I wish a government to implement. Of course fixing the recession is important, but they're all going to attempt that anyway. This is more than that, it's not about fixing the past, but preparing for the future. My own sexuality isn't clear, but this isn't just about me, it's about a tenth of the population that are treated unjustly and as second class citizens with what can be perceived as a second class marriage. I want marriage to be equal, for anyone to be able to marry their adult, consenting (human) partner on consecrated ground, if the presiding church agrees. I will be voting for a government that offers this opportunity. A vote for equality, if you wish.


Gladstone Providence: address inequality
After 6 May I expect the new government, single party or coalition, will want to focus on the country's economy in view of all the dire warnings of financial disaster. Clearly some priority has to be given to repairing the damage to the British economy, but I hope a major effort will be made to moderate the culture of the pursuit of personal wealth at all costs that has been prominent in the past thirty years or so. My hope is that the next government will focus on reversing the rising inequalities in our society by introducing policies to encourage a spirit of community and the will not to tolerate greed and disadvantages in our neighbourhoods as the norm. The examples of care and fairness set by our Quaker employers of the past have all but disappeared. There are just a few companies where all workers have partnership status and feel valued. Governing a country is a complex business, but championing such good practices could make a positive difference.

Owen Everett: electoral reform
The environment and sustainability are by far the most important issues to me as a first-time voter. However, given that the Green Party are the only ones offering sufficiently radical (and reasonable) action on climate change, I am very keen to see electoral reform introduced as a result of this general election.

There is enough support for the Greens across the country to get a decent number of MPs. However, with the current system they have to focus on three constituencies (most significantly Brighton Pavillion), despite having won 250,000 votes in the last election (http://www.greenparty.org.uk/news-archive/2157.html). Proportional representation, while far from perfect, is surely more democratic in that it will represent people's desires. Tactical voting would be much reduced.

I suppose this reflects to an extent the Quaker testimonies of equality and truth, and my ultimate hope would be that electoral reform would better enable us to safeguard the environment.


Have your say
Add your own contribution by commenting below, (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or writing (keep it short!) to us at The Friend, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ. We asked our initial contributors to keep to around 150 words.

Comments

• Posted by grithself on May 06, 2010

  In a week of repetitious, banal, negative information deluge from politicians I found reading these contributions fresh, inspiring, energising and very practical- thank you all! Could Friends somehow get these ideas into the political process? Make them happen? What do we need to do?

  John Sturt, Nottingham

• Posted by jgharston on May 06, 2010

  Arghhh!!! Annual elections for councils? I’ve just retired after eleven years on an annually-elected council and it is EXHAUSTING! All that ever happens is year-round campaigning, you never have any time to get any actual work done. If you want professional politicians and non-stop electioneering, go for annual elections. All-up four-yearly elections gives you local councillors who have the time to sit down and get on with the job.

• Posted by The Friend on May 10, 2010

  A change I should like to see in a new government is a different way of viewing our fellow species and acting on that vision.

  We are happy to exploit them in all ways we perceive might be beneficial to us, but we human animals are just one species and there is no justification for persecuting the myriad others, or ignoring their legitimate interests.

  Marian

• Posted by The Friend on May 17, 2010

  What I would like to see the government change is the ethos of much of the workplace. 

  The pressure from the government down, to get the most done by the work force in the minimum time, resulting in unrealistic targets, stress, lack of job satisfaction, lack of pride in work well done and lack of creative cooperation. 

  Reverse this by valuing people, treating them as equal human beings, potentially responsible assets restoring confidence in the workplace and the country could be transformed.
  Anne McPhun