These are the three priorities we need to fight for: Electoral reform, a Green New Deal and #MMT

Covid-19 isn't going away anytime soon. It may be around for many years. There may never be a vaccine. We, and particularly older and more vulnerable people, may have to adapt the way we do things permanently. The virus could be a feature of the rest of our lives. But there is another bigger problem - the climate crisis. As I write this, wildfires are raging in California and the Greenland ice cap is melting. Many climate experts think we have only a decade to take decisive action to prevent a climate catastrophe which will cause huge damage to human society and the species we share our planet with.

Oh, and there's another problem called neoliberalism. Wherever you look Western governments in the USA, UK, Australia, and beyond are busily prioritising the wealth of corporations and the 1% over the economic health and wellbeing of citizens. The UK government is busily handing out lucrative government contracts to its friends and private corporations without any tendering process. There is no attempt to even hide this anymore and the MSM is largely silent on this.

In the UK we have a pressing need for a change of government to one which will actually look after its citizens and the environment. One of the biggest barriers to change is our electoral first past the post system (FPTP). We are only one of two European countries - the other Belarus - which do not use some sort of proportional representation. We need electoral reform as a priority to represent the real will of the people and break the two-party stranglehold on our politics.

So, our three priorities now must be:

• Electoral reform - the introduction of a system of proportional representation (PR) for all elections
• A green new deal (GND) to combat the climate crisis and provide much-needed jobs in response to the economic contraction we are going through. 
• A recognition of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) by government and economists

Why is MMT a priority? It's because acceptance of MMT would forever nail the myth that taxes pay for government spending. They don't. Sovereign governments with their own currency like the UK don't tax and spend, they spend then tax. They can create as much money as they need to spend so the £300 billion bailout of the UK economy by Rishi Sunak is affordable, as is a GND. If you want to know more watch this short video by Richard J Murphy.

I'm a socialist. I've no love for the Liberal Democrats or Starmer's Labour Party but I'd be prepared to support a proper electoral pact Labour/Lib Dems/Greens in 2024 to get the Tories out and bring in electoral reform and a GND. We can't afford to be sectarian. Things are way too serious for that. The first step to such a pact is getting Labour to support electoral reform so I hope you'll join the Labour Campaign For Electoral Reform (LCER) if you are a member. Please also support Make Votes Matter. Real change has never been more ugent!

The cancer of consumption and #COVID19

We live in a consumer-capitalist society. Consumption drives our economy. That is why the Tory government is so anxious to return to 'normality', to get people back to work, commuting and buying their lunches at Pret a Manger. But the Coronavirus crisis has given us a different perspective. During the lockdown, many people were able to spend quality time with their children, they walked and cycled instead of driving, and looked for open spaces where they could hear the birds sing and commune with nature. They spent less and saved money. There were some big downsides, some people were unable to see their families, some people were cooped up in small flats and rented accommodation, others were trapped in abusive relationships. 

But the lockdown and its aftermath have given many people a different perspective on life - on what really matters - families, friends, communities and the value of nature. I heard on Radio 4 today that there is an exodus from London. People who can afford to are moving to the countryside so that they can have larger gardens and be closer to nature. It's fine if you can afford it but there is much more we could do to make cities and suburbs nature friendly. We can green our cities if we chose to. We can create spaces for community gardens, grow food, plant many more trees, we can generate clean energy, and we can give priority to cyclists and pedestrians over motor vehicles.

But back to consumption. Because it's consumption that is driving global warming and the climate crisis. Its consumption that is killing the planet and it needs to be reduced. Yesterday the last remaining Canadian ice shelf, the size of Manhattan,  collapsed into the sea. There have been record high temperatures in the Arctic and Siberia. Global warming is accelerating and we may be reaching a tipping point.

On my street, we are lucky enough to have a coronavirus support group. Now that the crisis has eased the conversation in the group has turned to growing food and reuse. Lots of people are giving away plants, vegetables, and things they no longer need. There are books and DVDs but also cabinets, duvets, and even washing machines. How good is this? It very good and if this could be replicated nationally it would lessen our need to consume. It needs to become the new normal. There is a huge amount of 'value' which we routinely discard and that needs to stop.

Part of the problem is that it is difficult to imagine a better world. Transition founder Rob Hopkin's excellent and inspirational book - From What Is to What If - shows how we can do this. The book shows how to overcome the barriers in our thinking, and how to improve our imagination and creativity. It is full of ideas and examples and is a must-read.

Covid19 is a threat but it is also an opportunity to change the way we live. Many have been talking about building back better - moving to a cleaner, greener more inclusive society with good public services. The government will do its damndest to return us to where we were before the lockdown but I'm hoping that attitudes are shifting. The government will not deal with the cancer of consumption and the climate crisis because that is a threat to the profits of its donors and supporters. But we need to be active and keep up the pressure, and there is a lot we can do at a local level to improve community resilience and health and wellbeing, and build stronger local economies. There are already many good things happening. If you want to know more take a look at the Transition Network. 

It's not only The Transition Network which is building a better future. There are hundreds of groups around the UK working on solidarity, mutual aid, growing local food, local currencies,  economic democracy, climate action, and community energy projects. Free your imagination, join in and build back better!