Right-wing vision of low taxes and quiet cities
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.LITERATE five-year-olds and quiet cities where the petrol engine is banned are part of a Thatcherite vision for the next century which the right-wing Adam Smith Institute has presented to John Major.
In place of the Prime Minister's vision of a Britain of 'long shadows on county grounds, warm beer, invincible green suburbs, dog lovers and pools fillers,' the think-tank says every home will have an 'electronic highway'.
There would be nursery education for three- and four-year-olds, children would be reading and writing and would have acquired some degree of mastery of a foreign language by the age of five, according to its report, 20-20 Vision.
The top rate of tax would be 20 per cent, and the basic rate 10 per cent. The black economy could be legitimised by declaring an amnesty for undeclared businesses.
Guided buses would dominate public transport in petrol and diesel-free cities and inter-city trains would run at more than 200mph.
Motorways and public transport would be privately funded and tunnels would provide new tollways across London.
Technology would be harnessed to combat crime by putting electronic trackers in cars, video sentry cameras in streets, and fitting consumer goods with locator chips to cut down thefts. Persistent offenders could be tagged with radio beacons to enable their movements to be monitored by computer.
Set-aside farmland and derelict sites would be used to create new woodlands covering 65 per cent of Britain, restoring some species such as wolves and bears.
20-20 Vision; ASI; 23 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BL.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments