Micro Matters: Salem’s Take on Starmer and the UK Future
Housing, Tech, and the Big AI Question
Mike Salem, the UK Country Associate at the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), was quick to shout a thumbs‑up for housing reforms—especially the planning side of things. He’s all in for fresh tech investments and hammering out AI models that can actually help people, not just pave the way for more corporate power.
Starmer’s AI Bill: A Relieved Tale
“I’m happy the new Prime Minister isn’t pushing an AI Bill,” Salem said, nudging a grin. “Because a law that would put extra hurdles in front of cutting‑edge tech would choke the UK’s flag‑bearing innovation engine.”
Salem’s Concerns: The Scrum of Policies
- Renationalising the railways and energy sectors—“the old‑school shuffle of power back to the state.”
- The idea of an “independent” football regulator—who’s actually running the club?
- VAT hikes on private schools—“money for the pocket‑book of the wealthy.”
- Bounding cigarettes but policing vapes—“stop smoking but keep the smoke‑puffs in check.”
Salem has been particularly sharp about what he calls a “misleading” pitch by Starmer, who claimed he was the Prime Minister of Change but, in Salem’s view, simply carved up the old Labour “rooted” approaches that meddle with lives and businesses. He calls those plans “illogical, unworkable, and a danger for cigarette buffs.”
Bottom Line: A Call for Consumer Freedom
With tax bills soaring and the economy riddled with stagnant “gimmicks,” Salem insists the government should focus on reducing tax burdens and letting consumers actually spend their cash on things that matter. “If Labour keeps handing out penny‑from‑the‑peanut policies that wound consumer rights, the public will feel the burn,” he added.
The Consumer Choice Center keeps blasting calls for supply side freedom. During elections they drop a manifesto that helps politicians and new MPs figure out how the forward‑thinking, 21st‑century consumer can make empowered choices.
