Some want him to resign. Others say he should champion traditional Labour values. Some argue that he must address the concerns of Middle England. Others will settle for British troops being withdrawn from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Yet, in their analysis of Labour's plummeting support, not one MP or Minister has identified one of the central fault lines running through Britain today – the demise of common sense.

It was, perhaps, epitomised by the local council that stupidly spent 34p on a first class stamp so it could send a letter to a resident pointing out that they owed 1p in council tax – and, yes, this bill could be paid in instalments. You simply could not make it up.

Yet, far from being a one-off example of bureaucratic bungling, such instances are becoming the norm as the most routine of chores becomes a test of bureaucracy.

It's no longer possible to send a letter without having to go to the local post office – if it is still open – to measure the size of the envelope to ascertain the cost of the stamp that will be required.

It's the same with the rubbish bins. The rubbish is now very noisily collected on a Sunday in my street – 7.15am to be precise yesterday – with the collectors doubtlessly on double money.

And then there was the case of the man who spent a night in the cells – for dropping an apple core.

Of course, Gordon Brown will argue that he cannot control the minutiae of every decision taken by every council – even though he is the ultimate control freak.

But the Prime Minister can lead from the front by simply adopting a set of common sense policies that might, just, buy him some time to restore his reputation.

Here are 10 suggestions to make Britons feel better – and, just as crucially, a few pounds better off:

1. Scrap identity cards – Brown could stop this scheme overnight – and save billions of pounds. ID cards will not guarantee Britain immunity from future terrorist attacks. However, the savings could be used to boost the work of the counter-terrorism community.

2. Halt school and NHS reforms – Teachers, doctors and nurses feel trapped in a perpetual cycle of change as they implement well-meaning policies that cost a small fortune, but achieve little. All further reforms should be put on hold until the next election.

3. Simplify the tax system – The 10p tax farce remains the albatross around Brown's neck. Yet what I cannot comprehend is a system where the Government can penalise more than five million working class individuals at a stroke, but cannot compensate them for their loss without complicating matters still further. Simpler taxes must be a priority.

4. The fuel duty conundrum – If the Government's finances are so desperate that Ministers cannot reverse October's planned 2p increase in fuel duty, Brown should, at least, ring-fence the money generated by this stealth tax so that it can be spent on improvements to public transport.

5. Respect the Armed Forces – It shouldn't have taken Labour's worst set of election results for 40 years before Des "two jobs" Browne, the part-time Defence Secretary, visited Headley Court, the Armed Forces rehabilitation centre, to announce a £24m cash injection. Service personnel should be treated with respect and reverence as a matter
of course.

6. Scrap the post office closures – Post offices are not a business. They are a service and a lifeline to families in many parts of Britain, especially those areas of West Yorkshire which will be hit by tomorrow's planned closure announcement. They could also prosper if they were given the power to provide some local council services; all that is required is some imagination and pragmatism on the Government's part.

7. Cut police paperwork – The fear of crime remains one of the primary concerns of voters. This issue was ruthlessly exploited by Boris Johnson in the London Mayoral contest. Brown talks about cutting paperwork so police officers can spend more time on the beat; he should now implement this promise without further prevarication.

8. End the Olympic fiasco – Unfortunately, it is probably too late to ask Paris to host the 2012 Olympics instead of London. However, the PM can alleviate the anxiety now being felt by taxpayers if he sets out a sports vision for every community in Britain so that young people maybe encouraged to lead healthier lifestyles.

This, after all, is one of the supposed legacies of the 2012 farce.

9. Be truthful over finances – One of the reasons why Brown is so despised is because he is such a poor communicator. He is obsessed with making grand political statements, such as a supposed increase in flood prevention measures, and is then nowhere to be seen once the small-print is interpreted. If a policy is too expensive, Brown should not be afraid of saying so. Honesty can still be a valuable commodity in politics.

10. Stop and think – Instead of trying to unveil a policy-an-hour to mask the Government's unpopularity, the Labour leader should take stock of every proposed pronouncement and ask himself whether it passes the common sense test; namely is the policy cost-effective and will it make a difference?

A primary reason why Brown's popularity has plummeted is that he has a mania for over-complicating the most straight-forward of policies. He needs to get back to basics before focusing on the bigger picture – the public's growing concerns about immigration, Britain's future role within the European Union and how, at a time of economic tumult, key services can be funded in the short-term.

Brown needs to task each and every Minister with ensuring the smooth running of their department while he attempts to draw up a strategy, with common sense as its underlying principle, that offers the country a possible escape route from this mess.

It may not be enough on its own to save the Government, but Gordon Brown owes it to the British people to start rectifying this shambles – a sorry state of affairs that stems from his blinkered stewardship of the Treasury where he spent beyond the country's means. It's not good enough for the Prime Minister to say he will listen and lead. He missed out a key word.

He must also learn from his mistakes. Starting now.