CHRIS SMITH (Green)
POPLAR & LIMEHOUSE
CHRIS SMITH (Green)
THE ECONOMY
Labour's national debt = �31,000 each person in the UK.
We support a 'Robin Hood' tax on banks which will raise tens of billions, and would cancel Trident Nuclear programme, saving �95bn over a lifetime, pull out of Afghanistan, saving �3bn a year, cancel future Private Funding Initiative schemes and reduce costs of maintaining hospitals such as �305 to change a wall socket!
CRIME
The crime epidemic is perpetrated by the children of the children of the 1980s. We need to understand this to prevent the next generation repeating the same pattern.
Improve local environment especially on our housing estates to raise levels of well-being, increased lighting in drug dealing hotspots backed by sustained surveillance and arrest of dealers.
Litter patrols in Tower Hamlets streets, educate younger people and tell them that an �80 fine can be levied on them.
Increase in treatment of addiction. Courts should send people with addictions to 12-step programmes as part of sentencing. This works well in other countries.
Work with young offenders to give sense of purpose in community, provide jobs and training.
Tower Hamlets has 22,000 families on waiting list for homes, the worst in London. Well-designed council housing zones will help protect future generations.
PUBLIC SAFETY: BUS AND TRAINS
Fight cuts to staffing levels at National Rail and Underground stations.
Reintroduce inspectors on buses and use community support officers more on public transport.
EDUCATION
Let teachers teach, return to basics which worked. No more SATS (which are run by corporations and have cost taxpayers billions)
Make University education free
HEALTH
Focus on preventative medicine.
London breaks yearly European pollution level limits within first few months of the year, with 5,000 children a year getting asthma as a result. Introduce cyclist training and proper cycle lanes. Ban 'gas guzzlers' from central London.
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Chris Smith (Green)
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