CHRIS GREEN MP: It's time to get back to the basics of politics

As political life stabilises for a short while before the Autumn Statement sets out just how tough things will get over the next few months and years, it is worth considering the basics of politics.
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There is so much noise and confusion around politics that it is not always obvious what the fundamentals are.

Basically, politics is about tax, spend and the regulations that go around it. Left wing politicians like accruing more power to themselves with higher taxes, their decisions on where the money goes and how they impose more laws and regulations on society.

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Right wing politics, broadly speaking, prefers that you to keep more independence, keep more of your own money and has a lighter touch in terms of regulation.

Just Stop Oil supporters bring the M25 to a standstillJust Stop Oil supporters bring the M25 to a standstill
Just Stop Oil supporters bring the M25 to a standstill

The centre left and centre right are obviously not that far apart and this is where the weight of British politics normally sits.

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Obviously, aspects of British political life are increasingly becoming more extreme and this is often represented by climate activists blocking ambulances from getting patients to hospital and normal people from getting to work.

These activists increasingly take on the fanaticism more associated with religious fundamentalists.

Bolton West MP Chris Green Bolton West MP Chris Green
Bolton West MP Chris Green
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Even though many of them are immensely rich, they seek to deny others in England and around the world the same opportunities they would never choose to go without.

Climate activism, leaving aside assertions that every weather event is wholly down to “global warming”, is fundamentally about greater taxation, politicians choosing how to spend your money and having masses of expensive regulation.

COP27 has been a major trigger point for many pseudo-religious activists. Normally, these activists want to overthrow the monarchy and set up their own new form of collectivist government but, for COP27, they are happy to overlook their normal instincts.

His Majesty, King Charles, will not be attending COP27 because the British Head of State should not be involved in politics. This distresses many climate activists who desperately want him to fly in a private jet to chat to a multitude of others who also fly in on their private jets.

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President Biden, who is deeply concerned about climate change, flew to COP26 in Glasgow in a fleet of seven jet aeroplanes. Obviously, the associated carbon emissions are intended to demonstrate just how much they care about and understand their own beliefs.

Normal people try and save money by writing letters, using the telephone and having online meetings. Climate activists have to meet in person…

The quirky ideas of some are rather expensive for you. Just this weekend, Labour announced that, if elected to govern the United Kingdom, they would impose a reparations tax which would funnel your money to China, Pakistan and numerous other countries.

Obviously, when they announced it they were uncomfortable with how it was characterised but the facts are that you would be taxed so Labour would ship yet more money overseas because they feel so ashamed of our history. Winter is going to be tough enough without Labour’s guilt tax.