The Bristol Broadband Collective

Broadcasting from Bristol, England at 7pm Thursdays
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What kind of world do we want to see?

Towards a 'Bristol Consensus'

Our vision for the future of Bristol - England - Britain - The World!

Will the breakdown in community fabric in Bristol ever be solved by a Chief Contable, Steve Pilkington, who doesn't have the confidence of his senior officers? Or by punishing the poor? We think not. Concrete moves towards a fair and just society are the solution. The culture of official secrecy must be abolished, corruption of public officials rooted out and human dignity respected regardless of age, race or gender.

Yes, the Bristol Broadband Collective is a broadcaster on a mission!

So what form might positive change take? Presently various groups and individuals in the city have specific and well-thought-through ideas for positive change in their own fields of work. But they lack a broad list of common aims that expresses their wider vision of social justice outside their specific area of concern.
Beyond Capitalism is a consensual discussion document, a broad list of common aims most, if not all, social justice groups could support. A Bristolian perspective but possibly an agenda for global action also.

1. MONEY - Debt free money (as Abraham Lincoln's greenbacks) issued by the Treasury - abolition of private central banks and fractional reserve banking. Jubilee in money every 50 years.

2. TAX - All taxation on income and basic essentials abolished. Incremental VAT and import duty the only forms of tax allowed. VAT rate roughly proportional to the luxury or otherwise of all goods and services. Progressive corporation tax - percentage of profits taxed based on turnover of business.

3. LAND - Maximum landholding set and larger estates broken up - automatic planning permission for low-impact settlements and energy/waste autonomy projects - all new homes must have at least 1/8 acre, development free, directly adjacent to home for growing food or renting out. Public access to all land except curtilage of homes and specially justified cases. Jubilee in land every 50 years. Automatic security of tenure for squatters in unused buildings. All unused buildings to be compulsorily auctioned after 6 months of becoming vacant.

4. EUROPE - immediate withdrawal from European Union and single currency due to its anti-democratic structure. Nullification of all European Commission directives. Working together with NGO's in all countries of the world for reform of NATO and UN Security Council.

5. CULTURE - transparency in all areas of newsprint and broadcasting - instigation of audience feedback/interaction to inform development of new content. All media to broken up into its constituent outlets without compensation and be owned and managed co-operatively by employees. All managerial jobs in media to be held by writers/programme makers.

6. ARMED FORCES - all armed forces stationed abroad recalled immediately unless local residents wish to delay recall for 12 months. Withdrawal from NATO and restructuring of all armed forces for defensive measures. Participation abroad only as part of humanitarian missions, eg. to clear up depleted uranium waste and mines deployed in the past. Destruction of all supplies for atomic, chemical, microwave and biological weapons. Defensive measures against these only allowed.

7. POLICE and LAW - abolition of private security companies from all work on criminal cases - community bodies to take over role and powers of the Police Complaints Authority. Community bodies to set policing priorities rather than Home Office. CPS to be held publicly accountable. Special transparent and accountable body to investigate all deaths in police custody. All Freemasons in CPS, Judiciary and Police to declare membership on pain of imprisonment. Introduce public interest defence to all crimes except murder.

8. ELECTIONS - proportional representation in all elections. Abolition of all private contributions to political parties, treasury funding of parties after each election based on proportion of votes cast. Return to secret ballot with no number printed on voting slips. Space for abstention vote on all ballot papers, if abstention vote ever reaches 51% triggers referendum on new systems. Abolition of party whips, free votes in House of Commons on all debates. Voter register to include special facilities for itinerants and be available only to returning officers.

9. STATE OWNERSHIP - all essential and/or large infrastrutural services such as electricity, water, sewage treatment, telecommunications, health, railways, government departments, and all state licencing bodies' franchises to be terminated. These services to be re-nationalised without compensation and run in a transparent, publicly accountable fashion.