The People’s Manifesto

by Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas has been touring the UK for months, getting audiences to come up with policies aimed at sorting out the country's political chaos and taking back the power for the people. Sick to death of bailing out bankers and subsidizing MPs homes, the audience vote on the best policy of the night to be included in the brand new People's Manifesto. From the inspiring to the downright hilarious, you'll wonder why these fantastic ideas aren't part of their constitution already. For all politicians will be forced to wear the names and logos of the companies sponsoring them or with whom they have financial links; anyone who supports ID cards is banned from having curtains; all models have to be picked at random from the electoral register; anyone found guilty of homophobic hate crime has to serve their sentence in drag; and, CEOs convicted of fraud will be made to dress as pirates in whatever job they get in the future. The People's Manifesto will outline 50 policies of the manifesto shouted out in bold type on a page to themselves with Mark's commentary opposite. Mark has even "road tested" some of them—like hosting a party in an MP's second home (which clearly belongs to the taxpayer) and getting university boffins to work out a way of SAT testing MPs to rank them by value. And Mark's guerrilla antics won't end there...Power to the people is really happening.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Humor, Comedy, Satire

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Mark Clifford Thomas (born 11 April 1963) is an English comedian, presenter, political activist and reporter from south London. He first became known as a guest comic on the BBC Radio 1 comedy show The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s. He is best known for political stunts on his show, The Mark Thomas Comedy Product on Channel 4. Thomas describes himself as a "libertarian anarchist."

Reviews

[MJ Nicholls · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing and sometimes serious proposals for a political manifesto, taken from the Radio 4 show of the same name. The latest series is running now (as of Feb 26 2012) on Radio 4 for those of British domicile. Some suggestions (from the book):

— Shut tax havens down . . . bomb Switzerland
— Models should be chosen at random from the electoral roll
— Legalise all drugs
— There should be a maximum wage
— Everyone should be given the day off on their birthday
— The Daily Mail should be forced to print ‘The Paper That Supported Hitler’ on its masthead
— There should be an age of consent for religion
— Anyone found guilty of a homophobic hate crime shall serve their entire sentence in drag

[Terry Clague · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite never managing to catch the radio show on which this slim book is based, I enjoyed it very much indeed (thanks Russ!). In some ways, it's of a kind alongside such enjoyable Christmas-gift-fayre such as "Is It Just Me, Or Is Everything Shit?" - the LRB review of which I have directed countless email braggers towards.

The author travelled the country, taking suggestions for new political policies and then discussed those which were most amusing. Since humour usually involves an element of awkward or undiscussed truth, the book contains many thought-provoking as well as laugh-out-loud discussions. It's also worth remembering that 30% of the voters in Italy's last election voted to send in the clowns, whilst policies (such as "passports for pets") first proposed by the UK's Monster Raving Loony Party are now incorporated into law. Anyway, it's short enough to read in half an hour or so and I recommend it highly.

I'll leave you with an example policy:

"THE POLICE SHOULD WEAR BADGES WHICH DISPLAY THE WORDS, 'HOW AM I POLICING?' AND 'I'M HERE TO HELP'

It started when signs started appearing on the back of thundering great 20-wheeled lorries, asking 'How Am I Driving?', as if hairy-arsed truckers gave a monkey's for what some twat in a Prius two cars back thought of their signalling skills. And from there it exploded: every company, profession, government department and public body wanted to get 'feedback'

I want to see 'How's My Clowning?' badges on children's entertainers, with an 0800 number attached. Traffic wardens should be forced to wear badges saying 'Ask me where the free spaces are.' I keenly await the cold-calling questionnaire that begins, 'On a scale of one to ten, where one is dreadful and ten is utter shit, what number would you give Noel Edmonds?' I want bankers walking round the City wearing 'Thanks for the wages' or just 'My flash suit, paid for by you.'

Getting the police to wear 'I'm here to help' badges would serve as a reminder for all concerned. They would only have to catch sight of themselves in a shop window for a handy aide memoire, and protesters would feel able to approach them to ask if they can facilitate their legal right to protest.

'How am I policing?' badges will then enable the public to provide feedback.So the facilitated protester could phone and say, 'I've just had a very positive encounter with a police officer and I wanted to register my appreciation.' Unsatisfied customers would be able to phone ans say, 'Illegally.'"

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short, funny manifesto that concludes the end of the comedian's tour. Mark Thomas held several shows up and down the country where the audience would suggest new policies and then vote on the best one. Often funny and mostly seeming reasonable, this short book makes politics accessible to all and is also startling as Thomas backs up his claims with research and hard facts that cannot be ignored.

[Mark Hebden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Thomas presents the results of audience discussions from his recent tour. It is a collection of pledges for a manifesto “the people” have asked for. The proposals range from the sublime to the ridiculous but I discovered there was only one in the whole book I fundamentally disagreed with, the rest, if occasionally humour based, have much merit such as making MPs wear the logos of the companies they have extra-parliamentary interests with, and the Daily Mail should have the words “The newspaper that supported Hitler” on its Masthead. There are more realistic proposals to do with expenses reform and second home allowances, bank regulation and general social welfare. It’s funny without veering in to trivialisation, and serious without careering off in to blandness. In short it achieves the objectives it sets itself, aside from remaking the country probably.

[Charlotte Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up on ebook from the library on a whim when I was looking for something quick and light-hearted, and that is exactly what I got with this short book.

In 160 pages, Mark Thomas presents policy ideas nominated and voted for by people all over the United Kingdom at comedy shows, some serious, others ridiculous, most of which I agreed with to some extent. I was laughing out loud at points, reading parts out loud to my partner, and nodding in agreement with a lot of it. 

I would recommend this if you would like a humorous read that will inform you about some people's problems with the UK political system. It was a thoroughly enjoyable read that I'm happy I picked up.

[Ulrike · Rating 5 out of 5]

so good!!!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable little read. I think I'd heard some of this live on the radio but it bore translation into print (even e-print) I like my politics thoughtful rather than polemic so there was always a risk that I'd take it all a bit too seriously to find enough of it funny and find it rather hackneyed 'humour'. Which happened only once.

It was interesting to see what came up, from the standard fare of Private Members' Bills and the expected largely legitimate politician and banker bashing ot the surreal and I enjoyed the description of the process - I'd've liked more about that and more of Thomas' commentary altogether.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

literally the funniest thing i've ever read. such an interesting insight into what the average brit wants (albeit over 10 years ago, i dread to think how much we've gone downhill since this book's publication!). surprisingly #woke and cheered me up knowing how much of the british population is generally liberal and sensible.

so anti-banks it's comical, obviously published around 2009 it makes perfect sense but it's so. insanely 2009-coded, nobody talks about banks with this much vitriol in 2023 lmao.

also was very cool seeing that a few of these proposals (the more sensible ones) have actually made it though i.e. gay marriage and abortion rights

[Olly · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Noel Edmunds should be publically beheaded and his severed head placed in one of 22 sealed red boxes"

[Tim Corke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amongst the satire and obvious jest is a clear cut sense of empowerment and common sense, an enlightened voice of the people which you cannot help but raise an eyebrow or nod gently in agreement. Mark Thomas has hit the nail on the head with this little book of the people’s thoughts and opinions. Some policies have remarkably become law - opt out organ donation, same sex marriages - but most are too heavily weighted to fight against the establishment.
I wonder if this was reread in 50 years time whether any more radical ideas have become the norm - let’s hope so!

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's a manifesto written by people and for people.
all the ideas for new laws in the book are proposed by real people, some of them are really funny, and some of them are just crucial for society (like the legalization of gay couples' marriage, drugs, or the existence of maximum wage).

despite its really small size, the book is witty and thought-provoking.

[Luke Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

My father put me onto this one. I think it's good fun. Some serious, some unserious. It's a book compiling Thomas' favouite submissions of policy agendas from the audiences of his live shows. Among my favourites sits a chapter called Destroy Tax Havens, Bomb Switzerland (I have nothing against the Swiss).

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I was a bit late to the party with this book as some of the stories seemed like they had happened ages ago. It felt more like a chore to read rather than anything enjoyable but I don’t think this would have been the sort of book I would have picked up naturally.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the thought provoking laws - serious and wildly flippant but always thought provoking - from his BBC R4 Radio Show.

Loved the show and the book - but in this instance the show beats the book.

[Gary Fowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read but also a quality one. Mark Thomas packs 40 left-wing political ideas into this pocket-sized book. Most of which are humorous, whilst a few are genuinely brilliant ideas.
Well worth a read.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a brilliant idea for a book/comedy show/radio series. A brilliant idea that is, in fact, full of brilliant ideas!

[Gabe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful, interesting, and humorous.

[kouppi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wouldn’t have read it if I wasn’t applying for PhDs about British morals and censorship. Ngl did give me an insight on humans of this country.

[Bob Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mark Thomas toured the country asking people for their policy contributions and discussing the funnier ones. This manifesto is the result. From the absurd to the thought provoking, my favourite was making MPs wear the logos of their corporate interests. Picking models at random from the electoral roll was a close second.

Far too short, you can read the whole thing in under an hour, but a great little read and the perfect size to pop in the post and pass it on to friends.

[Rupert Wolfe-Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a fun book in that it's easy to read, short, and quite amusing. It's also easy to dip in on virtually any page and have a little chuckle. Perhaps an ideal location for this book is in the toilet or by the bedside if you have a guest room; when the guest wants to flick through something funny but not get sucked into a thrilling plot and then ask the householder "can I borrow this book." It's expendable in the best possible way.

Although on the lightweight side of things this book is quite useful for anyone who's into politics as it gives a snapshot of the sort of issues that ordinary people think are important. It's full of ingenious ideas about how public life should be organised in Britain. My favourite example was that Windsor, location of the Queen's main castle, should be re-named North Slough. This is a dig at our deeply embedded class system and the fact that those who live in Slough, which is right next to Windsor but not associated with the upper class, would love the satisfaction of taking the aristocrats down a peg or two.

The book is based in interactions the author, who was a journalist for BBC Radio 4, with members of the public when he travelled around the country.

[Rob Kitchin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short book that after a brief introduction simply lists out the forty policies, each with a one to four page summary of the rationale for its inclusion in the People’s Manifesto. Like his stage act, Thomas blends serious argument with humour to make each case, and I laughed several times as I worked my way through. Whilst I was lukewarm to many of the proposed policies there were some that I think are worth exploring in more detail. My major gripe is that the book is too short. Much, much too short. A small format book, it only takes an hour or so to whisk through it, and all of the entries would have benefited from further explication as they all offered loads of opportunity for a more detailed analysis and satire. Basically, I wanted more! More about the shows, more about the policies that made it into the book, and more about the ones that didn’t. Otherwise an amusing way to pass an hour and get a dose of political sensibilities.

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark is a comedian that people tend to either love or hate depending on their own political leanings, but this is/was nonetheless a fascinating idea.

He pledged to stand for election on a manifesto chosen by his audiences during a stand up tour. Each night suggestions would be put forward by the crowd, at the end of the night one of which would be voted into the people's manifesto.

This lead to party policies such as "all drivers of 4x4 vehicles must volunteer with their nearest mountain rescue team" and "people who don't clear up after their dogs can be made to wear it as a moustache for the rest of the day" (that last one is significantly watered down from the original!

In the book Mark picks out several of the more notable and discusses the whys, wherefores of the proposed measure and his memories of the night in question. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, mostly entertaining. But always interesting.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Mark Thomas, the British Socialist (with a big capital "S") activist/comedian. He cuts to the heart of what he percieves to be wrong with current British politics.

His idea for this book was to go around and ask 'the great unwashed' what sort of governmental changes they would like, then publish them.

Lots of the suggestions I found quite sensible and funny, too. I dunno, though - I suppose I was hoping for more radical, anarchic ideas. I suppose Thomas's dyed-in-the-wool Socialist tendencies prevented it from getting too far out.

[Nurture Waratah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting little book with some intriguing ideas. Some would be good to see implemented (To introduce 'None of the above' on ballot papers); some are practical (We should adopt an opt-out system for organ donations); some are fun (Everyone should be entitled to phone in work one day a month and claim a 'fuck it' day off); others are just plain confusing (Goats are to be released on to the floor of the house of commons {no more than four}; MPs are forbidden from referring to them ever). This book will give you a chuckle even as it makes you think.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite being very funny in places this book posseses something in almost every chapter that every politcian seems not to hold - common sense. Every MP should be made to have a copy of this book on them at all times (and it is a very handy pocket size) and whenever they need to make a professional decision should consult this "manifesto" so thay can atleast get a small idea of what the people they "represent" would want to gain out of their decision and the possible consequences it may have on them as an MP and the people the decision affects.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I particularly like:
Models should be chosen at random from the electoral roll

If MPs want a second job to gain a greater understanding of life outside government, then their constituents should choose which job they think would best expand their MPs horizons

To Randomly arm OAPs with guns - Meals on Wheels, you better up your game: someone wants venison with a cranberry & port reduction - give it them or a leaden death will come at you from under a tartan travel rug quicker than you can say 'bugger me with a countdown dictionary'

[AGirlAndHerLibrarian Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Girls YouTube Channel – Stacked with Audio Reviews (not this book though!)

This is hysterical. The things people come up with for this manifesto - if they were put in charge was hilarious. I won't give any spoilers, but suffice it to say you will giggle.

P.S. Love bookmarks? Want to print them out and use them as often as you like? Love ephemera and junk journal’s and prints too? Try out my new website The Witchery Woo

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been strongly advised to utilise policy No. 27; "To create 'fuck it days' where people are legally allowed once a month to phone in work and say they can't be arsed to come."

A humourously provocative poke at the general distance between democracy and reality. Paul Weller said from the top of the red wedge: "The public wants what the public gets" --

Not in this case.

See- http://www.markthomasinfo.com/policie...

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short book by the comedian Mark Thomas. Loved his TV work in the past and have enjoyed reading this book. Although it was too short it has made me want to read more of his books. The manifesto consists of policies suggested by the audience from Mark Thomas' tour in 2009. Particularly enjoyed No. 3 "Models should be chosen at random from the electoral roll". An easier and funnier read than Mr Marx's manifesto!

[Russio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny and full of useful ammunition and amusement. MT has the ability to stop you driving off the cliff by exposing the absurd comedy of modern British politics. A light read based on a radio show of the same name but one that contains a laugh a page as well as a handful of policies which make you think, "well, why not?" If Mark was an MP there would be some great early-day motions.