People-Powered Policies: A 21st Century Commons Agenda
End the BBC Licence Fee Transition to a fairer income tax funding model post-2027, ensuring public broadcasting remains accessible and ending criminalised non-payment.
Ban Standing Charges on Utilities Scrap daily standing orders on electricity and telecoms (e.g. BT), making bills reflect actual usage and empowering low-income households.
Tiered Pet Licensing Introduce a scaled licence system for multiple dogs and exotic pets, with proceeds funding animal welfare and enforcement of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.
£1 Flat Bus Fare Nationwide Cap single bus fares at £1 to boost public transport use, reduce emissions, and support rural mobility.
24/7 Rural Drone Bus Network Pilot autonomous drone-bus services in underserved rural areas, drawing on the UK’s Future of Transport: Rural Strategy and EU drone integration frameworks. These low-emission, on-demand vehicles would operate 24/7/365 continuously, improving access to healthcare, education, and jobs while reducing rural isolation.
Solar on Supermarkets Mandate rooftop solar on all large retail buildings by 2030, cutting energy costs and emissions while powering EV chargers.
“Too Cheap to Meter” Energy Vision Invest in hydrogen, geothermal, and AI-optimised renewables to make domestic energy so abundant it’s flat-rate or free—echoing the original atomic promise.
Free Town Centre Wi-Fi via K6 Kiosks Retrofit iconic red phone boxes with 5 mile radius Wi-Fi hubs and defibrillators, preserving heritage while bridging the digital divide. And free operator emergency calls and phone charging.
Future-Proof New Builds Require all new homes to include solar panels, fibre broadband, EV chargers, aircon-ready infrastructure, and no gas connections from 2026.
Landfill Mining for Rare Materials Launch a national programme to extract metals and reusable materials from legacy landfill sites, reducing pollution and reclaiming land.
Rewilding with Trees & Fish Fund large-scale tree planting and fish reseeding in rivers to restore biodiversity, cool waterways, and support rural economies.
Civic Litter Gangs (Reform & Rehab) Introduce visible community payback for minor/jail offences and benefit sanctions—litter picking, graffiti removal, and park maintenance in hi-vis crews.
Decommission 1980s KX100 Phone Boxes—Preserve Only Iconic Units
Retire the remaining “boringly ugly” KX100 BT phone boxes from the 1980s, which are now obsolete and often vandalised. Retain a few for heritage listing, but free up public space by removing the rest—replacing them with smart kiosks, K6 or Wi-Fi hubs where needed.
14. Net-Zero Zipcards for All Under-25s Free national travel cards for young people covering £1 buses, bikes, and rail discounts—fueling opportunity, climate action, and levelling up access in both urban and rural communities.
15. Community Energy Trusts with Dividends Let local councils and cooperatives run solar, wind, or geothermal hubs—profits reinvested into public services or paid out as household energy credits. Think “green oil fund” but local, democratic, and renewably powered.
16. Culture in Every Classroom Embed creative storytelling, Filipino values like bayanihan and malasakit, and heritage crafts into core UK curricula—partnering with diaspora artists to reclaim space in cultural diplomacy and education alike.
17. Plastic Accountability Levy (“Pellet Tax”) Impose a tax on plastic pellets (nurdles) at point of import or manufacture, funding cleanups, whistleblower protections in the waste sector, and biodegradable innovation grants.
18. Veteran-Led Environmental Corps Train former service members to lead on toxic wreck recovery, reforestation, and climate resilience—offering meaningful work, national service pride, and ecological repair in one programme. Gurkhas for Everest speed training cleanup.
19. Reading as a “Right to Read” City
Designate Reading as the UK’s first “Right to Read” city—guaranteeing every child access to free books, digital literacy tools, and community reading hubs. Partner with libraries, schools, and diaspora authors to embed cultural storytelling and multilingual access.
20. Thai–UK Climate Innovation Pact
Launch a bilateral green tech accelerator between Thailand and the UK, focusing on sustainable agriculture, flood resilience, and circular economy startups.
21. UN Peacekeeping Whistleblower Shield
Propose a UN resolution to strengthen protections for whistleblowers within peacekeeping missions—ensuring safe reporting of misconduct, environmental harm, or abuse, with independent oversight and cultural sensitivity training.
22. Reading–Bangkok Cultural Exchange Corridors
Establish a sister-city cultural diplomacy programme linking Reading and Bangkok through youth residencies, fashion and film showcases, and joint heritage conservation projects—bridging Commonwealth ties with ASEAN soft power.
23. Peacekeeper-to-Planter Transition Scheme
Create a UK-backed reintegration programme for former peacekeepers to lead reforestation, fish reseeding, and disaster preparedness in post-conflict zones—merging veteran expertise with ecological repair and local employment.
24. Ramsgate–Dunkirk Ferry Revival with Green Maritime Standards
Re-establish the historic ferry link with Dunkirk using hybrid or hydrogen-powered vessels, prioritising freight and foot passengers. Include a cultural diplomacy angle—linking Dunkirk’s WWII legacy with Ramsgate’s Operation Dynamo roots.
25. Faroe-Style Subsea Tunnels for UK Island Communities
Pilot tunnel infrastructure in places like the Isle of Wight or Orkney, inspired by the Faroe Islands’ low-cost, high-impact model. Funded via green bonds and built with local labour, these would replace unreliable ferries and boost resilience.
26. Reopen Ashford International for Eurostar & Green Freight
Back the 63,000-strong petition to restore Eurostar stops at Ashford. Pair it with a freight terminal for low-carbon logistics, linking Kent to Lille, Rotterdam, and beyond—reviving the “international” in Ashford International.
27. Lille–Thanet Circular Economy Corridor
Partner with Lille’s circular fashion and urban renewal hubs to create a UK–France innovation zone. Focus on textile reuse, youth skills, and post-industrial regeneration—positioning Thanet as a coastal twin to Lille’s inland revival.
28. Thanet Parkway Public Inquiry Reform
Mandate independent post-project reviews for all major infrastructure schemes like Thanet Parkway. Ensure transparency on cost overruns, environmental impact, and community benefit—setting a new gold standard for local accountability.
29. Dunkirk–Ramsgate Veterans Exchange
Launch a bilateral programme for veterans and youth to co-curate exhibitions, clean coastal wrecks, and share stories of resilience. Funded through cultural diplomacy grants and linked to peacebuilding education.
30. Smart Tunnel Tech Transfer from Faroe to UK
Adopt the Faroe Islands’ tunnel tolling and safety systems for UK rural roads and tunnels. Use AI traffic monitoring and undersea lighting to improve safety and aesthetics—especially in flood-prone or coastal areas. And Bering Tunnel: Silicon Valley to Shanghai with dry feet.
31. Votes at 16 for All UK Elections
Enshrine the right to vote at 16 across the UK, building on the Scottish and Welsh precedents. Pair it with civic education and digital voter registration to energise youth participation.
32. Office at 30: Age Cap for MPs’ First Term
Introduce a minimum age of 30 for first-time MPs to ensure candidates bring lived experience and professional grounding—mirroring age thresholds in other public roles like judges or police commissioners.
33. PAC Spending Transparency Act
Cap third-party political spending and require real-time disclosure of donors over £500. Ban shell PACs and dark money in UK elections, modelled on Canada’s Elections Modernization Act.
34. Digital Town Halls with Recall Rights
Mandate quarterly online Q&As between MPs and constituents, with a recall trigger if attendance or responsiveness drops below a set threshold. Farage not attending any Clacton meetings.
35. Public Service Dividend for MPs
Tie MP pensions and pay rises to public service metrics—like constituent satisfaction, casework resolution, and attendance—benchmarked annually.
36. Youth Democracy Corps
Fund a national service scheme where 16–25s earn credits for civic work—poll staffing, local journalism, or community organising—redeemable for tuition, travel, or housing support.
37. PAC-Free Zones in Local Elections
Ban third-party campaign groups from spending in council and mayoral races to protect grassroots democracy and reduce outside influence. End Parachute Candidates from party HQ.
38. Constituency Budget Assemblies
Give each MP a £1 million participatory budget, decided annually by local citizens’ juries—funding parks, youth centres, or climate projects.
39. Army Accountability Ombudsman
Introduce an independent civilian-led body to oversee complaints, procurement ethics, and whistleblowing within the Army—modeled on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman but with operational access.
40. Commonwealth Service Exchange
Launch a rotational programme where UK soldiers serve alongside Commonwealth partners in peacekeeping, climate adaptation, and cultural diplomacy missions—deepening ties and sharing best practices.
41. Streamline MOD Civilian Pay Bands & Skill Zones
Collapse the MOD’s sprawling band structure into fewer, clearer tiers with transparent progression and parity across services. Introduce a unified digital HR/pay platform to reduce admin bloat and improve retention—especially in Skill Zones and broader-banded civilian roles.
42. Refocus RAF Regiment Ceremonial Duties
Scale back routine RAF Regiment parades and ceremonial postings, and brass bands, reallocating personnel to counter-drone, base defence, and rapid deployment roles. Retain key state ceremonial functions (e.g. Queen’s Colour Squadron) but reduce duplication with Army ceremonial units.
43. Appoint a Civilian National Armaments Director (NAD)
Ensure the new NAD is drawn from outside the Army hierarchy—ideally with cross-sector procurement experience say Kyiv Tesco—to break service silos and drive “One Defence” industrial strategy. Empower the NAD to lead on exports, acquisition reform, and supply chain resilience.
44. Close the MOD Revolving Door with a Statutory Cooling-Off Period
Introduce a 3-year ban on senior MOD officials and generals taking defence industry roles related to their portfolios. Strengthen ACOBA with enforcement powers and publish all post-service appointments in a searchable register.
45. Decommission 1 Vanguard Sub & 1 Carrier—Join French Agincourt Maritime Force
Retire one of the four Trident subs and one Queen Elizabeth-class carrier (if non-operational), redirecting funds to a joint UK–France expeditionary maritime force. This would deepen EU–NATO interoperability, reduce redundancy, and free up billions for readiness and cyber deterrence.
From Borders to Symbols: Macron, Thailand, and the Echoes of the Franco-Thai War
In a timely diplomatic gesture, French President Emmanuel Macron recently held talks with Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, pledging support for peaceful negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia over their simmering border tensions. Macron’s offer to coordinate with Cambodia underscores France’s evolving role as a regional mediator, echoing its colonial-era entanglements in Southeast Asia.
The conversation also touched on broader cooperation—from transnational crime to trade and Thailand’s OECD ambitions—but it’s the border issue that stirs historical memory. The Thai-Cambodian frontier has long been a flashpoint, with disputes dating back to the colonial cartography of the early 20th century. Macron’s involvement, while diplomatic, carries symbolic weight.
That symbolism is etched in stone at Bangkok’s Victory Monument. Erected in 1941 to commemorate Thailand’s perceived triumph in the Franco-Thai War, the monument originally celebrated military might. But in the 21st century, it has become a contested space—hosting pro-democracy rallies and serving as a stage for what some call “patriot demos,” where nationalism and civic activism collide.
As Macron extends a hand of diplomacy, the Victory Monument stands as a reminder: borders may be lines on a map, but they’re also lines in memory. And in Thailand, those lines are being redrawn—not just by treaties, but by the people who gather beneath obelisks to demand a different kind of victory.
🇫🇷🇹🇭 Macron’s Thailand visit revives echoes of the Franco-Thai War as he offers to mediate border talks with Cambodia. A century later, the Victory Monument—once a symbol of conquest—is now a rally point for patriot demos and democracy calls. History lives on in protest. #FrancoThaiWar #VictoryMonument #Thailand #Macron #Cambodia #Borders #21stCenturyDiplomacy
The Wicked Vision Ltd v Rice case is a significant recent decision on whistleblowing and unfair dismissal. Mr. Rice, formerly Head of UK Sales at Wicked Vision Ltd, claimed he was dismissed in February 2021 not for redundancy—as the company asserted—but because he made protected disclosures about alleged misuse of the UK’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Specifically, he alleged that employees were being asked to work while furloughed.
The legal crux came when Mr. Rice sought to amend his claim to argue that the act of dismissal itself was a detriment under section 47B(1B) of the Employment Rights Act 1996, for which the employer could be vicariously liable. However, the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that this was not permissible. It held that dismissal cannot be treated as a detriment under section 47B if it already forms the basis of an unfair dismissal claim under section 103A.
This ruling reinforces the legal boundary between whistleblowing detriment claims and dismissal claims, clarifying that employers cannot be held doubly liable under both provisions for the same act of dismissal. It’s a key precedent for whistleblowing protections and how tribunals interpret the scope of employer liability.
Let me know if you'd like a short explainer or a policy takeaway from this case.
In legal or employment tribunal settings, the phrase “your case is weak, please settle” is often used informally during negotiations or correspondence. Here’s how that breaks down in more precise terms:
“Your case is weak” implies the opposing party believes there is insufficient evidence, legal grounds, or credibility for the claim to succeed at hearing. In tribunal terminology, this could be positioned as a strike-out application, submission of no arguable prospects, or claim being vexatious or misconceived.
“Please settle” is essentially an invitation to resolve the matter outside the tribunal, often to avoid further legal costs or reputational damage. Legally, this might be couched in terms like “without prejudice” discussions, “Calderbank offer”, or an “ACAS conciliated settlement” under a COT3 agreement.
It’s a common tactic in litigation to pressure the other side with cost implications or perceived weaknesses, but whether such a phrase is persuasive depends heavily on the merits and procedural posture of the case.
Would you like help reframing this into formal correspondence or exploring how best to respond?
Certainly, Tim. Here’s a polished version you might use:
> Given the absence of substantive evidence and the outlined inconsistencies, I respectfully urge you to consider settlement, as the case appears unlikely to succeed and continuation would incur disproportionate costs.
Let me know if you'd like to tailor it further based on the tone or audience.
Here’s a list of 10 notable cases where Royal Mail lost or settled legal disputes, each with a one-line summary:
Bates & Others v Post Office Ltd (2019) – Royal Mail (via Post Office Ltd) was found to have wrongly prosecuted sub-postmasters due to faults in the Horizon IT system.
Alan Bates v Post Office Ltd (2020) – The High Court ruled that the Post Office’s contract terms were unfair and its treatment of sub-postmasters was oppressive.
Hamilton v Post Office Ltd (2021) – A former sub-postmaster’s conviction was quashed after it was shown to be based on flawed Horizon data.
Seema Misra v Post Office Ltd (2021) – Misra’s theft conviction was overturned, with the court acknowledging systemic failures by the Post Office.
Noor v Royal Mail Group Ltd (2020) – Royal Mail was found liable for racial discrimination and unfair dismissal of a Muslim employee.
Royal Mail Group Ltd v Jhuti (2019) – The Supreme Court ruled in favour of a whistleblower, holding Royal Mail accountable for retaliatory dismissal.
Royal Mail v Efobi (2021) – The Supreme Court clarified the burden of proof in discrimination cases, ultimately siding against Royal Mail.
Royal Mail Group Ltd v Doolan (2017) – A tribunal found Royal Mail had unfairly dismissed a worker for union-related activities.
Royal Mail v GMB Union (2009) – Royal Mail lost a legal challenge over strike action, with the court upholding the union’s right to protest.
Royal Mail v Unite the Union (2010) – The High Court rejected Royal Mail’s attempt to block industrial action, affirming lawful balloting procedures.
Let me know if you'd like a deeper dive into any of these or how they relate to whistleblowing or employment protections.
Here’s a punchy manifesto-style list of those policy ideas, Tim—framed for maximum clarity and public resonance:
🗳️ People-Powered Policies: A 21st Century Commons Agenda
End the BBC Licence Fee Transition to a fairer funding model post-2027, ensuring public broadcasting remains accessible without criminalising non-payment.
Ban Standing Charges on Utilities Scrap daily standing orders on electricity and telecoms (e.g. BT), making bills reflect actual usage and empowering low-income households.
Tiered Pet Licensing Introduce a scaled licence system for multiple dogs and exotic pets, with proceeds funding animal welfare and enforcement of the Dangerous Wild Animals Act.
£1 Flat Bus Fare Nationwide Cap single bus fares at £1 to boost public transport use, reduce emissions, and support rural mobility.
Solar on Supermarkets Mandate rooftop solar on all large retail buildings by 2030, cutting energy costs and emissions while powering EV chargers.
“Too Cheap to Meter” Energy Vision Invest in fusion, geothermal, and AI-optimised renewables to make domestic energy so abundant it’s flat-rate or free—echoing the original atomic promise.
Free Town Centre Wi-Fi via K6 Kiosks Retrofit iconic red phone boxes with Wi-Fi hubs and defibrillators, preserving heritage while bridging the digital divide.
Future-Proof New Builds Require all new homes to include solar panels, fibre broadband, EV chargers, aircon-ready infrastructure, and no gas connections from 2026.
Landfill Mining for Rare Materials Launch a national programme to extract metals and reusable materials from legacy landfill sites, reducing pollution and reclaiming land.
Rewilding with Trees & Fish Fund large-scale tree planting and fish reseeding in rivers to restore biodiversity, cool waterways, and support rural economies.
Civic Litter Gangs (Reform & Rehab) Introduce visible community payback for minor offences and benefit sanctions—litter picking, graffiti removal, and park maintenance in hi-vis crews.
12. End the BBC Licence Fee – Backed by FOI, Taxpayer Equity & Ofcom Oversight
Phase out the compulsory licence fee by 2027, citing Freedom of Information disclosures on BBC spending, Ofcom breach records, and taxpayer-funded outsourcing to firms like Capita. Replace it with a tiered subscription model to ensure transparency, fairness, and consumer choice—especially for non-users.
13. 24/7 Rural Drone Bus Network
Pilot autonomous drone-bus services in underserved rural areas, drawing on the UK’s Future of Transport: Rural Strategy and EU drone integration frameworks. These low-emission, on-demand vehicles would operate continuously, improving access to healthcare, education, and jobs while reducing rural isolation.
14. Decommission 1980s KX100 Phone Boxes—Preserve Only Iconic Units
Retire the remaining “boringly ugly” KX100 BT phone boxes from the 1980s, which are now obsolete and often vandalised. Retain a few for heritage listing (e.g. Dunsop Bridge, Isle of Harris), but free up public space by removing the rest—replacing them with smart kiosks or Wi-Fi hubs where needed.
15. National travel cards for young people covering £1 buses, bikes, and rail discounts—fueling opportunity, climate action, and levelling up access in both urban and rural communities.
16. Community Energy Trusts with Dividends Let local councils and cooperatives run solar, wind, or geothermal hubs—profits reinvested into public services or paid out as household energy credits. Think “green oil fund” but local, democratic, and renewably powered.
17. Culture in Every Classroom Embed creative storytelling, Filipino values like bayanihan and malasakit, and heritage crafts into core UK curricula—partnering with diaspora artists to reclaim space in cultural diplomacy and education alike.
18. Plastic Accountability Levy (“Pellet Tax”) Impose a tax on plastic pellets (nurdles) at point of import or manufacture, funding cleanups, whistleblower protections in the waste sector, and biodegradable innovation grants.
19. Veteran-Led Environmental Corps Train former service members to lead on toxic wreck recovery, reforestation, and climate resilience—offering meaningful work, national service pride, and ecological repair in one programme.
20. Reading as a “Right to Read” City
Designate Reading as the UK’s first “Right to Read” city—guaranteeing every child access to free books, digital literacy tools, and community reading hubs. Partner with libraries, schools, and diaspora authors to embed cultural storytelling and multilingual access.
21. Thai–UK Climate Innovation Pact
Launch a bilateral Green Tech accelerator between Thailand and the UK, focusing on sustainable agriculture, flood resilience, and circular economy startups.
22. UN Peacekeeping Whistleblower Shield
Propose a UN resolution to strengthen protections for whistleblowers within peacekeeping missions—ensuring safe reporting of misconduct, environmental harm, or abuse, with independent oversight and cultural sensitivity training.
23. Reading–Bangkok Cultural Exchange Corridors
Establish a sister-city cultural diplomacy programme linking Reading and Bangkok through youth residencies, fashion and film showcases, and joint heritage conservation projects—bridging Commonwealth ties with ASEAN soft power.
24. Peacekeeper-to-Planter Transition Scheme
Create a UK-backed reintegration programme for former peacekeepers to lead reforestation, fish reseeding, and disaster preparedness in post-conflict zones—merging veteran expertise with ecological repair and local employment.
25. Ferry Revival with Green Maritime Standards
Re-establish the historic ferry link with Dunkirk using hybrid or hydrogen-powered vessels, prioritising freight and foot passengers. Include a cultural diplomacy angle—linking Dunkirk’s WWII legacy with Ramsgate’s Operation Dynamo roots.
26. Faroe-Style Subsea Tunnels for UK Island Communities
Pilot tunnel infrastructure in places like the Isle of Wight or Orkney, inspired by the Faroe Islands’ low-cost, high-impact model. Funded via green bonds and built with local labour, these would replace unreliable ferries and boost resilience.
27. Reopen Ashford International for Eurostar & Green Freight
Back the 63,000-strong petition to restore Eurostar stops at Ashford. Pair it with a freight terminal for low-carbon logistics, linking Kent to Lille, Rotterdam, and beyond—reviving the “international” in Ashford International.
28. Lille–Thanet Circular Economy Corridor
Partner with Lille’s circular fashion and urban renewal hubs to create a UK–France innovation zone. Focus on textile reuse, youth skills, and post-industrial regeneration—positioning Thanet as a coastal twin to Lille’s inland revival.
29. Thanet Parkway Public Inquiry Reform
Mandate independent post-project reviews for all major infrastructure schemes like Thanet Parkway. Ensure transparency on cost overruns, environmental impact, and community benefit—setting a new gold standard for local accountability.
30. Dunkirk–Ramsgate Veterans Exchange
Launch a bilateral programme for veterans and youth to co-curate exhibitions, clean coastal wrecks, and share stories of resilience. Funded through cultural diplomacy grants and linked to peacebuilding education.
31. Smart Tunnel Tech Transfer from Faroe to UK
Adopt the Faroe Islands’ tunnel tolling and safety systems for UK rural roads and tunnels. Use AI traffic monitoring and undersea lighting to improve safety and aesthetics—especially in flood-prone or coastal areas. And Bering Tunnel.
32. Votes at 16 for All UK Elections
Enshrine the right to vote at 16 across the UK, building on the Scottish and Welsh precedents. Pair it with civic education and digital voter registration to energise youth participation.
33. Office at 30: Age Cap for MPs’ First Term
Introduce a minimum age of 30 for first-time MPs to ensure candidates bring lived experience and professional grounding—mirroring age thresholds in other public roles like judges or police commissioners.
34. PAC Spending Transparency Act
Cap third-party political spending and require real-time disclosure of donors over £500. Ban shell PACs and dark money in UK elections, modelled on Canada’s Elections Modernization Act.
35. Digital Town Halls with Recall Rights
Mandate quarterly online Q&As between MPs and constituents, with a recall trigger if attendance or responsiveness drops below a set threshold.
36. Public Service Dividend for MPs
Tie MP pensions and pay rises to public service metrics—like constituent satisfaction, casework resolution, and attendance—benchmarked annually.
37. Youth Democracy Corps
Fund a national service scheme where 16–25s earn credits for civic work—poll staffing, local journalism, or community organising—redeemable for tuition, travel, or housing support.
38. PAC-Free Zones in Local Elections
Ban third-party campaign groups from spending in council and mayoral races to protect grassroots democracy and reduce outside influence.
39. Constituency Budget Assemblies
Give each MP a £1 million participatory budget, decided annually by local citizens’ juries—funding parks, youth centres, or climate projects.
40. Army Accountability Ombudsman
Introduce an independent civilian-led body to oversee complaints, jails, war crimes, murder eg Agnes, procurement ethics, and whistleblowing within the Army—modeled on the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman but with operational access.
41. Commonwealth Service Exchange
Launch a rotational programme where UK soldiers serve alongside Commonwealth partners in peacekeeping, climate adaptation, and cultural diplomacy missions—deepening ties and sharing best practices.
42. Streamline MOD Civilian Pay Bands & Skill Zones
Collapse the MOD’s sprawling 1:1 70k staff bands structure into fewer, clearer tiers with transparent progression and parity across services. Introduce a unified digital HR/pay platform to reduce admin bloat and improve retention—especially in Skill Zones and broader-banded civilian roles.
43. Refocus RAF Regiment Ceremonial Duties
Scale back routine RAF Regiment parades and ceremonial postings, reallocating personnel to counter-drone, West End musicals, Royal cosplay, base defence, and rapid deployment roles. Retain key state ceremonial functions (e.g. Queen’s Colour Squadron) but reduce duplication with Army ceremonial units.
44. Appoint a Civilian National Armaments Director (NAD)
Ensure the new NAD is drawn from outside the Army hierarchy—ideally with cross-sector procurement experience say Tesco Kyiv—to break service silos and drive “One Defence” industrial strategy. Empower the NAD to lead on exports, acquisition reform, and supply chain resilience.
45. Close the Revolving Door with a Statutory Cooling-Off Period
Introduce a 3-year ban on senior MOD officials and generals taking defence industry roles related to their portfolios. Strengthen ACOBA with enforcement powers and publish all post-service appointments in a searchable register.
46. Decommission 1 Vanguard Sub & 1 Carrier—Join French Maritime Force
Retire one of the four Trident subs and one Queen Elizabeth-class carrier (if non-operational), redirecting funds to a joint UK–France expeditionary maritime force. This would deepen EU–NATO interoperability, reduce redundancy, and free up billions for readiness and cyber deterrence.
47. Ajax Reset with Modular Procurement Pathway
Following years of delays, vibration issues, and spiralling costs, reform Ajax by adopting a modular procurement model: separate hull, turret, and sensor contracts with open architecture standards. This would allow future upgrades without full platform overhauls.
48. Bowman-to-Morpheus Acceleration with Open Source Mandate
Fast-track the long-overdue replacement of Bowman by enforcing open-source, NATO-interoperable standards in the Morpheus programme. Prioritise soldier usability, cyber resilience, and plug-and-play integration with civilian emergency networks.
49. Land Rover Fleet Rationalisation & Electrification
Phase out legacy Land Rovers in favour of a unified light tactical vehicle platform— electric where feasible. Partner with UK-based SMEs for modular kits (e.g. comms, medevac, drone launch) to reduce dependency on bespoke conversions.
50. Kit Reform via Soldier-Led Trials
Mandate that all new personal kit—helmets, webbing, boots, comms—undergo field trials led by serving personnel, and worn by generals, across regiments and climates. Publish anonymised feedback and procurement decisions to build trust and avoid repeat Bowman-style failures.
51. Defence Procurement Reform Board with Whistleblower Access
Establish a standing board to review all major kit programmes quarterly, with direct access for whistleblowers and independent engineers. Use Ajax as a case study to embed lessons learned into future contracts.
52. NATO Kit Audit: Mandate an annual audit of UK kit against NATO STANAGs, with public reporting on compliance gaps: One Tank/Lorry/Ammo/Armoured car etc in the next 70 years.
53. Strategic Stockpile Act: Legislate minimum inventory levels for munitions, medical supplies, and critical spares—stored in climate-controlled, AI-tracked depots with quarterly reviews and dusting.
54. Joint Procurement with Whistleblower Oversight: Pool orders with NATO allies for economies of scale, but embed whistleblower protections to flag corruption or delivery failures.
55. Domestic Khaki Psyops: review Militarisation of Society eg Warship shows on BBC and an independent panel, say Dannatt, Heappey, Ellwood, Kemp, Wallace on Sky War Channel most nights. Extra fee based on a Nurse's salary for randomly mentioning hollowed-out.
Comments