As part of our 2017 General Election coverage, we have contacted each candidate standing in Northfield, Bromsgrove, Edgbaston and Selly Oak constituencies asking them to contribute to this election’s ’500 Words’ series.
Each candidate has been invited to describe themselves and their campaigns in their own words. Their submissions will be published without editing, in the order that they are received. Should they be longer than 500 words, they will be cropped.
Dick Rodgers – Common Good Party / Europe Needs Us – Edgbaston
Dick Rodgers Common Good party/ Europe needs us, candidate in General Election in Birmingham Edgbaston
1. Stay in the EU.
2. We need a new spirit in the country.
Thanks for this chance to say what I stand for! The EU is a great project building a lasting peace in Europe after centuries of war and tyranny. It’s achieved a lot. It’s a big job. It takes time. We are still needed as part of the team. The Union is good for our neighbours. It’s good for us. We should stick with it. Un-invoke Article 50!
We need to become a nation with a purpose and that purpose should be to make the world a better, fairer place to everybody. Having a shared purpose inspiring us all would change the atmosphere of the country in a very wholesome way. I want Britain to be a wonderful place to live and work. And I want us all to be energised about building up the precious things we can enjoy together. Then, with a healthy society here, we should spread our values in this world that really needs them.
I spent 6 weeks in a mock prison cell in the Bull Ring in 1986 to persuade the Soviets to release a young poetess Irina from prison camp. Brummies helped me and rejoiced at her release.
I’m a Christian clergyman and former orthopaedic assistant surgeon in Birmingham (ROH, Children’s, Selly Oak and the Accident Hospital). I’ve spent many years campaigning for the release of prisoners in Russia and then to stop a civil war in Sudan. In 2004 I founded the Common Good party, to help our own nation find the direction and unity we so badly need. This is my 8th election.
Policies
I want to turn back the tide of privatisation to have a nation of people keen to work, inspired by the honour of public service and because they want our whole “national project” to succeed. Then we’d not need the brutal forcefulness of “driving up standards” that demeans and stresses so many people today. With a shared enlivening spirit, things will start to work.
Make the nation’s money the property of the nation not of the banks. Today’s deceitful system hurts people, makes houses unaffordable and starves industry of investment.
Establish the NHS on a public service model not a commercial one. Crucially, true to Bevan’s original vision, include elderly care within the NHS.
Nationalise the railway, modernise it, cut the fares. Abolish student fees.
Elected Regional government for the regions of England ie the EU constituencies.
Infrastructure in public ownership specially tidal power generation. A lively industrial policy instead of our shameful negative balance of trade for the last 30 years. Use our influence to nurture a fairer world system
Promoted by Rev Dr Richard Rodgers FRCS Common Good party 63 Meadow Brook Road Birmingham B31 1ND dick@rodgers.org.uk 0121 4760789 @dick_rodgers www.thecommongood.info www.facebook.com/comgood
I want Britain to live like a family and work like a team
View all ’500 Words’ submissions for this election