More Politics (sorry): NIP

The Northern Independence Party have released their draft manifesto. All elements still need to be voted on by members before finalisation, and other things may well be added, but it'll give you a good idea of what they stand for.

For a bit of background, this is a new party who have absolutely snowballed in support over the last week or so. In terms of social media followers, they're seriously catching up on some of the big players. They have taken the left by storm in the North and have Labour seriously rattled.

They advocate an independent Northern England under the Northumbria name, but this is more for effect than them actually thinking this is a realistic opportunity anytime soon. Their real purpose is in highlighting the north/south divide and putting pressure on existing parties to put their money where their mouth is, or risk losing votes to the NIP. In a similar way to how UKIP dragged the whole political spectrum in the UK to the right with minimal actual success at the ballot box, NIP want a similar effect to the left and to the North's benefit.

They use humour to their benefit on social media, but they are serious.

These are some of their policies:

• Promotion of co-operatives, municipal ownership & locally owned small businesses
  
• Strong support of trade unions
• Green industrial 'rebirth'
• Referendum on the monarchy
• Social housing drive
• All utilities nationalised
• NHS workers to receive 15% pay rise
• Minimum wage of £9.50/hour
• Much more money put into mental health services
• End to 'hostile environment' policy for immigrants
• Lowering of state pension age to 60
• Tree-planting drive
• Bin the recent controversial police bill, and separately the 'spycops' bill
• Regulation and protection of séx workers
• Council run e-bike rental schemes
• GPs able to prescribe cannabis if evidence supports the benefit

I've signed up as a member because I no longer felt at home in Labour, and I have to say it's been a wonderful experience. Everything within the party is democratic, from individual policies to candidate selection.

Just wanted to drop this info as I'm sure some of you will have seen the name mentioned recently and not known what it was all about.

 

Can someone explain to me some key differences between the north of England and Scotland? You know, aside from obvious things like accents. This is extremely far left and the SNP are far left, why not just have the northern party go all the way up to Scotland? What I mean is a lot of complaints I see from my Scottish/Welsh friends aimed at Westminster also seem to be shared by many northerners, especially my Barnsley brothers and sisters on here. Also why can't green party members or labour/liberal democrats just propose this kind of legislation? I'm not a lefty but this just seems like a waste of time and even further left division. Labour, liberal democrats, green party, this northern party, the SNP (aside from the obvious nationalism thing) don't appear to be all that different. Obviously I know there are a few policy differences (but honestly not many) there seems to be much more common ground.

I understand from what you've posted that this is more of a pressure party and memes and whatever but in general I think any British party that advocates for more secession is NUTS. Great Britain is a pretty small island it needs all the help it can get. I find it weird that Ireland is a completely separate country even.. Like yes, I know of the troubled history and the famine and religious differences I get it but wouldn't it be much better if both countries worked together? I have British and Irish people in my family and again there just seems to be much more common ground and cultural similarities than differences. I'm very sleep deprived and going off on a tangent but I hope someone, somewhere understands what I'm trying to say lol.

 

Out of interest what in there is “extremely left wing”? I’m not saying it’s not left wing, it clearly is, but using the extreme adjective is a bit much.

 

Everything is extreme left to people who struggle to understand socialism.

 

They sound absolutely perfect, what’s not to like??

 

Who is leading this initiative and what is their background?

 

Splitters!

 

Where will they raise the money for a 15% pay rise for NHS?

 

I hate them PIN (Party for an Independent North) b@stards.

 

Same place as the UK "found" the money to shut down the economy for 12 months and pay everyone 80% on furlough? 15% for the NHS is peanuts compared to the billions COVID has cost so far.

 

A tax system that's fit for purpose? Reduction in government bloat? A healthier, happier, more productive population which relies less on the state in the first place?

 

I like a lot of their ideas, cheers for the heads up. I'm going to look into this further. One point which is complete pie in the sky though is lowering the state pension age to 60. With life expectancy likely to increase to something close to 90 over the next 50 years, paying pensions for nearly 30 years is just not realistic.

 

These are some of their policies:

• Promotion of co-operatives, municipal ownership & locally owned small businesses

Okay. Fair enough. Co ops are still active all over the country. Sheffield has a number of municipal entities. Weve shagged local snall businesses up the arse dry for the last 12 months. What measures are they putting in place to protect solvent entities should further lockdowns be introduced restricting their ability to trade?

• Strong support of trade unions

A trade union is only as good as the support it provides its members. You have a teacher in batley currently in fear for his life and nothing from his union for over a week until they were shamed into a response.
You have had over the last year the teachers unions kicking off. Other public sector related unions demanding pay increases whilst millions outside of these areas are facing the breadline and the potential of losing everything.
Even though I see the advantages of a TU would pushing strong support for them garner support from joe public?

• Green industrial 'rebirth'

What exactly is this. How do they hope to acheive it. How will it be funded. How many jobs will it create v how many jobs will it cancel. Will it be an actual environmentally friendly green industral revolution or smoke and mirrors?

• Referendum on the monarchy

Utterly pointless. As much as the anti mornachists on here kick off regarding the Royal family they are still a damn sight more popular than they think

• Social housing drive

Who funds it? Where are they built? Who is entitled to a social property. What kind of properties? Rented? Shared ownership?

• All utilities nationalised

Robin hood energy. Say no more.

• NHS workers to receive 15% pay rise

Why? Who pays for it? Whats the conditions for the payrise? Will there be a requirement for a root and branch overhaul of the NHS first to ensure maximum efficiency before throwing more money at it? How do the cleaners and porters for example get one given they are sub contracted by third parties.

• Minimum wage of £9.50/hour

Whats the incentive to prevent more automation? Wilkos are laying off a number of staff/reduction in hours since the pandemic now they operate 50% self service tills...

• Much more money put into mental health services

Money printer goes buuuuurrrr. Theres just been a £10bn per annum increase on NHS running costs just with wages. Where does the money come from. And if you say changes to personal tax allowences then you are barking mad given the last 12 months.

• End to 'hostile environment' policy for immigrants

Define a hostile environment.

• Lowering of state pension age to 60

Money printer goes buuuurh.

• Tree-planting drive

Agreed but it will conflict with the house building drive. The downside of an over populated island

• Bin the recent controversial police bill, and separately the 'spycops' bill

Agreed. Big government excessive knowledge by the powers that be into your life is a big no no. Then again there are people on here who would sell their mothers for a passport to buy some bread...

• Regulation and protection of séx workers

That policy is hostile to migrants... flippant remarks aside. How? Who funds it? Etc

• Council run e-bike rental schemes

Theyve done bike schemes twice in sheffield. Novel idea for a few weeks til they figured out how to get the 'black box' off then they all went missing for scrap

• GPs able to prescribe cannabis if evidence supports the benefit

Okay. What kind of cannabis? what research is there into long term usuage. Will they be banned from driving?

 

Sone sort of phased pension could work though, enabling older people to go part time.

 

I'll stick with Labour the only party that can beat the lying corrupt party called Conservative,

 

Wish I could be a part time older person

 

.would be good!

 

Utopia here we come?

 

No harm in aiming for it.

 

If the aim is genuinely to provoke debate and try and move the political agenda, all good. If they genuinely have an independence agenda then no thanks, we’ve had quite enough division.