THANK you for publishing the article by David Craig (Yorkshire Post, June 2) about MPs' rate of pay and pension. It has been obvious for at least a decade that MPs are not underpaid, as they claim.

In fact, they are overpaid – and grossly so – in relation to the contribution they make to our national life. So are the present Ministers of the Crown when account is taken of their ineptitude, arrogance and incompetence.

While claiming to be "prudent", our erstwhile Chancellor damaged UK pension schemes by withdrawing tax exemption from their investment
incomes, sold our gold reserves when the price was low, introduced so many stealth taxes that we lost count of
them and spent the proceeds on hare-brained schemes without any discernible improvement.

As Prime Minister, he presides over grave misjudgments by his Ministers, pretending that all is going according to plan. The 10p tax fiasco is just one foolish error for which he cannot escape the blame. The Northern Rock debacle is another. Perhaps he should be arrested and held without charge for 42 days on suspicion of undermining the fabric of Great Britain – at least it would provide him with time to reflect on his many failures.

There is not one success to weigh on the other side of the scales. When can we have a General Election to teach him and his party the lesson they deserve?

From: Ian Smith, Colston Close, Bradford.

I WONDER if one or more MPs might be encouraged to respond to David Craig's article (Yorkshire Post, June 2), not so much about halving their numbers, but in relation to their vastly high incomes (I will not use the word "earnings"), compared with most of the electorate – you know, we who provide the funds for their enjoyment.

From: Robin L Wilkins, Chantry Close, Doncaster.

I HAVE read with interest the details of the expenses of Members of Parliament that are paid by us the taxpayer. There is no doubt that these people are engaged for more than full time in looking after our interests, so we should not quibble about the fact that we are required to pay the bills for window cleaning and gardening for example.

It does occur to me, however, that another band of people are engaged full time in looking after our interests throughout the world – our servicemen and women. Unfortunately, they are not in the position where they can nip home every couple of weeks to mow the lawn and clean the windows. Should they not be reimbursed on the same basis as Members of Parliament?

Or, am I being cynical in thinking that there are different rules for them and us?

From: David Rimington, Fairways Drive, Harrogate.

HOW can we stop MPs from fiddling their expenses and operating as a special breed of civil servants? The answer is quite simple. Let the political parties pay their MPs and councillors.

Fund the political parties from public funds, by payment for each vote received at a General Election. I would suggest £1 for each vote up to 100,000, plus £5 per vote thereafter.

A party getting 10 million votes would be paid £50m a year up to the next General Election. They could pay their MPs and councillors what they liked by way of salary and expenses, and the taxation and expenses rules could be the same as for any private company.

There would be great advantages and incentives for the people who voted. Even if they voted for a losing candidate, they would in effect be making a donation to the party of their choice. The political parties would, of
course, be free to raise additional funds.

It would be more democratic if the voting system were changed to the party list system as used in the European elections, and indeed in some countries for other elections, in order to give an element of proportional representation.

This would eliminate the corruption endemic in the present system.


Let's fight fire with fire like the French

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Acomb, York.

IT is high time we fought fire with fire as regards the absurd EU rules that allow the unscrupulous Spanish and French fishing fleets to take certain types of fish from "our" waters and land them at English and Scottish harbours, while "our" fishermen have to watch idly by, and see their livelihoods ruined by our EU "partners" (Yorkshire Post, May 28).

We should blockade our ports, refuse to let the Spanish and French ships and boats leave, just as they do to our sailors during their fuel protests. Why do we let then run roughshod over us time and time again?

It is no use appealing to our politicians nor to our police force because both are equally terrified to act. We must adopt "French" tactics.

When the French farmers, or fishermen, or coal miners, or students, or teachers, or office workers, or lorry drivers are annoyed about something, they do not hesitate to cause trouble and bother to the authorities or to who ever it is who are frustrating them, and their patriotic police support them.

We should learn from them and adopt similar tactics.


Dismal state of Britain

From: David Wright,
Little Lane,
Easingwold,
North Yorkshire.

We appear to be obsessed with football, meaningless scandal and gossip about so-called celebrities plus failed politicians and their memoirs.

We, the public, have allowed this situation to develop because we have failed to get involved with politics and have allowed the liberal do-gooders and modernists to wreck our institutions and political scene by handing over our independence to the monolithic EU super state.

Our three main parties are all scrabbling in the failed centre ground while the good ship UK flounders in a sea of directives and regulations with only the nanny state to rescue. It is an even worse fate than George Orwell's 1984.

The end of the line

From: David Schofield, Greenway Close,
Leeds.

The letter from Coun Elizabeth Nash (Yorkshire Post, May 27) about the delights of walking along the disused Nidderdale railway is inaccurate in its date of closure.

The branch line up to Pateley Bridge was not closed in the 1960s under the programme agreed by Transport Ministers Ernest Marples, Tom Fraser and Barbara Castle between 1962 and 1968. In fact, the closure date for the Nidderdale line was April 1951.

Today, the Railway Ramblers' Organisation help use old railway lines through their guided walks and financial contributions towards maintenance of pathways.