There will be plenty to discuss in this country in 2024

Well here we are in 2024 – what is in store for us this year I wonder, more of the same; I think not? We simply have far too many problems and challenges as a nation for things to continue as they are. It will not be radical change as we have seen in other countries such as the Netherlands and I always catch up with a Dutch vet friend of mine at Christmas for the latest news.

I have been watching the politics and how farmers have grabbed the mantle in the Netherlands in 2023.

Having been told that food exports would be done away with, representing two thirds of production; farms purchased by government in order to stop food being produced; Dutch farmers and the countryside folk took matter into their own hands.

They formed their own farmer/citizen political party the ‘Boer Burger Beweging’ (BBB) four years ago, with the mission that ‘Farmers cannot do without citizens and citizens cannot do without farmers’. Its appeal spread rapidly beyond its rural heartland; seen as representing traditional, conservative Dutch social and moral values.

They won a huge victory in the provincial elections earlier this year; leader Caroline van der Plas stating that the victory will determine the composition of the Senate.

The rural party came from nowhere and finished ahead of Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte's centre-right People's Party, calling into question the Rutte government's ability to implement harsh policies aimed at clamping down on nitrogen emissions from farms, which triggered huge farmers' protests in the summer of 2022 and launched BBB'S meteoric rise in Dutch politics.

It is major blow to Rutte's ruling coalition, as provincial governments are the ones who are going to implement the policies; they’re the ones who are going to decide, for example, which farms are going to close.

The farmers' party is now the third largest political force in the Netherlands, with 16 percent of the national vote, but whilst the horse trading associated with their proportional representation takes for ever; farms are still being bought by government for 100% or 120% of their value depending on their importance to nature and if farming activities should stop.

I watch with interest to see where it all ends up. In England we collectively crave for a government that is at ease with itself and not engaged in its own civil war. It is interesting how any party which has governed for more than a decade in this country falls apart, riven by infighting and scandal.

The Conservative death spiral is so strong now that any opposition can simply say we can do this better. The great shame always is that the majority of constituent MPS are tarred with the same brush although innocent and in most cases doing their best for those who elected them; we should never forget that.

Whilst no one thinks that an elected Labour government will be able to change things overnight, they are full of enthusiasm and vigour with fresh ideas after 13 years in opposition; desperate for power.

The Conservative party could be about to experience opposition and its awfulness; power is everything and without it you can do nothing, but it comes with trap-doors and hidden rakes in the straw ready to spring up and break your nose!

A new government can blame the last administration for a while and it will also be granted a brief honeymoon in order to find your feet, but with 24 hour media you need to hit the ground running, no stumbles or twisted ankles.

The whole team is as good as its weakest runners and they must be identified quickly and replaced regardless of popularity and which faction they belong to. That is not as easy as it sounds.

A Prime Minister needs to focus on the impossible task of being across all the issues and having answers to every problem whenever a microphone is thrust in front of his or her face.

Other people’s shortcomings in the team is a distraction and especially if there is a whiff of self-promotion. If elected, Keir Starmer must learn from the last Labour government and set to and change things from the start and not waste time gaining credibility; something Blair and now Mandelson both regret.

If Labour comes to power, they will inherit a faltering economy (it won’t be as bad as they say it is of course) and they need to immediately make announcements to affect the feel good factor and boost morale; such as a proper house building programme.

They should concentrate on the disfunction of government, spending waste and inefficiencies. Rachel Reeves shadow Chancellor is a person business leaders are genuinely excited to meet and a great deal of any success will rest on her shoulders.

Wes Streeting should be let loose on the NHS in order to bring about the fundamental changes needed.

Massive inefficiencies everywhere, demoralised work force, a dominant BMA and vested interests, especially when it comes to reform and working practices.

Wes Streeting has seen how other health services, far better than ours, operate around the world and he is itching to get on with the job.

One of the biggest challenges facing the next government is that we have an obesity problem, a longterm illness problem and a mental-health problem in this country. It is reported that there are more than half a million under 35s out of work due to long-term illness; an increase of 44% in four years.

Researchers also point out the post-pandemic effect in the number of people out of work due to mental health problems.

Millions of working age people are inactive today and this poses a real threat to the economy.

Another big issue is the green agenda; that

£28bn spending problem the new chancellor Rachel Reeves will have.

This will be the debate of 2024 leading up to the election as this is the big policy; the big promise.

The debate will be on how this is funded and Ed Miliband has already stated that he would happily borrow it.

Reeves can see the trapdoor here and has already watered this policy down, delaying it until the second half of the next parliament.

We are now told it will not be paid for through borrowing but through taxation; I can see a rake hiding in the straw here.

They can’t junk this plan as it will cause all sorts of problems within the party and Miliband could resign on to the backbenches to make trouble.

The Greens are also a threat on the left and could hamper results in the marginal seats.

Renewables are a success story for the current government but no one gives them credit and they have not shouted about it until now.

We as voters must decide how much we are willing to pay for further green policies as politicians spend our money.

Some of us will need a great deal of persuasion that we should be poorer in order to go that last, very expensive step towards net zero, when the UK produces less than 1% of global emissions whilst China and India continue to build coal power stations.

Plenty to discuss in the year ahead!