Were I Prime minister for a day I would...

As we have seen from Liz Truss’s cack-handed efforts, make the wrong move and it can quickly spiral into disaster.

The contestants on the Apprentice-style show Make Me Prime Minister, which I am enjoying, have to introduce and justify policies as well as making split-second decisions that can impact national security. It’s certainly no picnic.

Liz Truss has made some unpopular decisions since becoming Prime Minister

Were I handed the keys to Number 10 I admit I would be hopeless at sorting out the UK’s economy and would hopefully have to hand a minister with a decent command of finance who could take the reins.

But there would be many things I could do to benefit the nation. These issues may be less newsworthy, but they would certainly help to improve life for us all. Were I to be made Prime Minster for one day, this is what I would do:

Clamp down hard on litter louts

Penalties are already in place for littering but you only have to walk down any street or go on any country ramble to realise that they are no deterrent whatsoever. People caught dropping litter should have the book thrown at them with a hefty fine or even a spell in jail.

There should be a mandatory life sentence, without any hope of parole, for anyone caught hanging a bag of dog poo from a hedge or tree, and also for those leaving them on the ground. This may sound harsh, but it’s the only way we will ever tidy up the giant skip that is our country.

We should introduce stiffer penalties for littering

Limit TV shows involving celebrities

Every time you switch on the TV there’s a bunch of so-called celebs either trying to survive in a frozen wilderness, baking cakes, eating insects or doing the foxtrot. I know for a fact that I am not the only one who is sick to the back teeth of it. Bring us some decent TV shows, please.

Introduce more severe penalties for those using a mobile phone at the wheel

This is, of course is illegal, but you have only got to stand on any street corner to realise that the existing punishments are not putting people off. I would ban every person caught doing this from driving for five years.

Provide more protection for trees

We are woefully short on tree cover in the UK, yet we routinely chop them down to make way for even more roads and homes. The Government should raise public awareness of the benefits of trees for ourselves and wildlife. It should be illegal for councils and developers to plant trees and then neglect them. I’ve seen so many newly planted trees die this year after being stuck in the ground during the drought and left unwatered for weeks.

Customer service

Make it law that companies have a contact number on websites and introduce a maximum waiting time of 15 minutes for members of the public who want to contact them. This should apply in every walk of life, from banks to utility firms and doctors. The last time I called my electricity provider I was number 81 in queue. I could have gone on holiday while I waited. It’s not acceptable.

Ban urban 4x4s

Make it illegal for anyone other than hill farmers and those dwelling in off-the-beaten track areas of Britain, to buy gigantic, polluting 4x4s. Cheviot tractors are fine, Chelsea tractors are not.

Lower the retirement age to 65 for everyone

I appreciate that sticking with age 60 for women, as it used to be, was costly and unfair to men, who after all don’t tend to live as long. But whacking it up to 68, as is planned by the government, doesn’t leave anyone other than the wealthy, who can afford to retire early, much time to enjoy themselves.