Benign dictators.

[123everton]

If you were to become the absolute ruler of Britain what five things would you introduce and what five things would you ban?

[beveridge111]

Introduce
Birch , Hanging , prisoners to work on roads ( Hard Labour !!)Higher penelties for dog owners who wont clean up behind the dogs
Ban People having to sell their homes to keep them in nursing homes High paid workers especially those in charge of our finances

[123everton]

I take it you're not related to William Beveridge then. ;-))

[rojash]

beveridge111 - So you wouldn't want to make it a happier place then?

[Sandy-Wroe]

Driving on the right, to bring us into line with our European neighbours. Introduce the Euro. Set the price of alcohol so that it would be out of the reach of all but the wealthy. No remission and much longer sentences for those involved in drug dealing. Ensure that the standards in 'bog standard' schools were as good as anywhere else.
Only one thing I'd ban, chewing gum.

[beveridge111]

rojash
It would be a happier place ----for me !!!

[Quizmonkey]

Fascinating how many extreme-right, knee-jerk, blinkered, Daily-Mail-reading fascists use this site.

[123everton]

Just Muslim extremists, what about the others?

[123everton]

But, there are political extremists throughout the world, terrorist organisations to boot, based in Britain.
How about the Tamil Tigers?
Not every terrorist is a Muslim, not every extremist either.

[Ankou]

weren't the tokyo subway gas attackers buddhists ?
and the hindu group bajrang dal are widely considered a terrorist bomb making group.

[123everton]

Falung gong can be quite violent too.
But don't forget political extremists, they are far more numerous, look at the violence in Zimbabwe.

[lslowry]

just noticed your reply,wiz, whats wrong with brussels sprouts. i eat them most days, and further more, ooops sorry must dash!

[jno]

Just as well you insisted on benign dictatorship - goodness knows what people would have suggested bringing in if they became real tyrants.

In no particular order:
- the euro. Sterling is all over the place, up or down against Europe or the dollar; it would make sense to tie it to something, and given the volume of our trade with Europe, that should be the one.
-'life means life' sentences. I don't actually want many people locked up forever, I just want sentences that do what it says on the can.
-proper teaching of history in schools. At the moment nobody seems to learn about anything but the Nazis; and all that does is leave them feeling smug without giving them any sense of where their country came from. Proper teeching of speling would be nice too.
-80% income tax on bankers. If they don't like it, let them carry out their threat to emigrate.
-a proper functioning high-speed rail service.
-proper job for Moira Stuart.

Bans:
-bigotry. So what if half of AB has to close down. Once the Mail is off the streets people will just have to make their own entertainment.
-MPs' living expenses claims. Put them all up in the Olympic village. Two chairs, a table and a single bed in their second homes and that's it.
-chewing gum (good idea, Sandy). Spray paint cans, same reason: public beauty.
-celebrities.

I'll keep the fifth ban option opens, as something new may annoy me tomorrow.

[abyss43]

1) More public toilets
2) weekly black bin emptying
3) more and improved cycle lanes
4) more frequent public transport to rural areas
5) more support in helping to pay child care costs

Ban

1) High interest rate loans / credit cards. capped to 15% apr
2) Ban windfarms on land
3) Overseas call centres
4) All the uselless sh*t cooking gadets on the shopping channels
5) Super markets claiming half price wine, when it was not even worth half the price in the first place