In View: The Imperial Party.

I do have a habit of looking for the unusual and the bizarre on the web, and I often go my own way politically. One of the more unusal things I have found on the web is web sites belonging to political parties who are shall we say minor parties. One such party in the UK is The Imperial Party.

Thomas Davison is offically the party's founder and leader, and whilst some of the basic ideals sound fine, once you get to the details, it all falls apart like a house of cards.

“Respect, Honesty, Integrity, Manners, Fair Play”

Sounds almost likeable doesn't it? But read on a bit further...

"...Our party wants back our right to freedom of speech for England and the English People and to reintroduce Christian values into our lives."

Christian values? I wouldn't go shouting that out too loudly, the "Christian Right" isn't exactly the more popular political voice with good reason. I was taught Christianity was about tolerance and forgiveness, two things that I do not see a lot of in the "Christian Right".

"...We will revoke all unnecessary ‘harmonisation’ laws forced on us by the E.U., and revert to Britain’s traditional systems of measurement and practice."

Does this mean you want to take us back pre-decimalisation? Back to before 1971? Why not go the whole hog, and make that a pound is 100 shillings and a shilling is 100 pence. Instantly, you'd reduce the price of the average home from £222,256 to £2,222.56, making house prices much more affordable!!!

"...congestion on the roads will be eased by new lorry-only toll roads for goods vehicles, expanding the breath of our major motorways..."

Lorry only toll roads? In case you hadn't heard, toll roads don't work. They force traffic onto smaller roads, increasing pollution and noise. And as for expanding the breadth of the motorways, everytime lanes get added to a motorway, they fill up just as quickly as the last time they were widened, you can't go on widening forever.

"...Under an Imperial Party government there would neither be tax-avoiders nor tax-victims. A single flat income tax of 25% will keep the treasury full and could reasonably be met by all sections of society. "

Hmm, that's a good idea, but I'm not sure you could keep the single tax rate that low. I'm more inclined to believe it would have to be around 30% or higher to fund the plans of the Imperial Party.

"...With the Imperial Party controlling Westminster, all over-60s will be entitled to exemption from council tax, heating bills, television licences, road tax, bus and tram fares and road tax. Special reduced-rent housing for over-60s only will be built for those who want it, and care homes should and will be provided free as part of the NHS. All pensioners requesting it will receive a liveable, non-means-tested pension, and we shall restore the link with earnings for those as yet not retired. Within a few decades, our Personal Added Tax (PAT) policy will ensure that pensions will remain sustainable and that there will be no ‘crash’."

This doesn't read too well. It looks like it hasn't been costed properly, and the sums just don't seem to add up. The retiree population is growing every minute as we all live longer lives. I'm more inclined to believe these policies will make the crash happen much quicker rather than preventing it. Very populist sounding, but they don't stand up to scrutiny.

"...We will institute ‘new business panels’ across the country, to which those wanting to start a new business may present their commercial ideas; if considered likely to be commercially viable, such new businesses would qualify for grants to help them achieve success."

Again, another great sounding idea, but the reality is you'd be creating regional versions of the BBC show "Dragon's Den". You're going to have an awful lot of disappointed people who won't learn great lessons in life because they tried and failed their own business. Some of these lessons can only be learned the hard way, and preventing people from learning them does not help their personal or business skills development, and I speak from experience.

"... Britain’s economic success and prosperity depends on Her businesses being beneficial to Her; we would ensure all British businesses remain in British ownership, no more the 49% of any business being allowed to fall into foreign hands."

One word describes this beautifully. Protectionism!

"... BBC to end their supposition type news and relay actual news and end the license fee, eventually to be sold off to commercial enterprise as it no longer a neutral , unbiased and independent body."

'Supposition type news'? Do you even know what you're saying? You're saying the BBC does not report facts. And as for ending the licence fee and selling off the BBC, you may as well destory it , for that is what will happen anyway if you sell it off.

"... Police officers to go back to patrolling the streets and given more powers to question and retain suspects, anyone found carrying a gun to be given hard labour for life."

Now how do you juxtapose that with...

"... We reject the creeping Police State being stealthily imposed on us..." Hmm?

You either don't want a police state, or you do, you cannot have it both ways.

"... Speed camera's and traps to be discontinued they are only a means to raise money for local government."

Excuse me, this keeps getting spouted by various political parties. How about some proof, that they are ONLY a means to raise money and NOT a way to catch offenders as they should be caught, in the act!

"... We will reinstate marriage as the basis of the family unit, we will make it harder to divorce; children need both parents who live together."

Erm, hate to break this to ya, but there has never been an official government line on what is a family unit. And whilst I agree that children need two parents who can get along well and live together, a household where the parents don't get along is NOT a good place for a child to grow up. Yet by your policies, you would force families that don't get along to stay together because of the children. Again, you can't have the penny and the bun.

"... All unemployed people to be given training at government centres in needed usable skills, if no work available in area, government will employ person on minimum wage until other work found."

Oh dear, talk about a bloated government. Another idea that sounds good, but hasn't been costed properly.

"... We will end overseas hand-outs. All charity moneys to go to UK causes."

I'm sure Oxfam and the Disasters Emergency Committee will love you guys!!!

This is what I meant when I said that some great ideals are let down by unpractical, uncosted, unworkable policies. This is the 21st cetury now, not the 19th Century!