Socialism is a dirty word for some, but it's the best chance of real 'levelling up'. The fact that the UK and other rich countries have so many people struggling to get by and even living on the street shows their policies are not working.

I completely agree with all you're saying here, and despite my anarchist leanings, when the UK had a real socialist option (with JC) I broke my habit of defacing the voting card and voted for him in the election.

we need less dependence on cars as there are far too many of them.

Yup, and I don't own one and haven't for years now. The only thing I miss is driving to the mountains in Wales or the leafy green countryside in Cheshire. But I'm on my mum's insurance ever since I became her taxi service when she has cancer and I had to take her to treatments. We went on a really nice walk in Cheshire the other day for my birthday (which I'm gonna write a travel post about it at some point in the next few days). But I think car sharing like this is the way to go, along with a worldwide ban on petroleum products as fuel for land-based vehicles at the very least.