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Wednesday's Letters: All we need are politicians with honour and integrity
GORDON Brown says he wants a public debate on how we run government. First of all, let us look at what has brought us to the sorry mess we are in. A large part of the blame can be laid at the door of the party system. MPs owe greater allegiance to their party than to public or Parliament.
Another big reason is the rise of the professional politicians. When payments for MPs were introduced, it was said that we would get a better class of MP. We have a worse class of MP; they have no honour.
Our present constitution depends on participants "doing the right thing" and suggestions that we need a written constitution are an admission that MPs are not honourable.
Then we come to the hub of the matter. If you make detailed rules, then you say to people: "Follow the rules." Our present bunch are good at that. How often have you recently heard "I was not in breach of the rules" – detailed rules are thus not the answer.
Which brings us back to the constitution. There is nothing wrong with our constitution; there is everything wrong with the people who are involved in it. We want the right people for the job, and the present bunch show that they are not the right people.
We want people of honour and integrity. The question is, how do we find them? – not through the present electoral system, that is for sure.
From: JW Buckley, Aketon, Pontefract.
From: George McManus, Norwood, Beverley.
IS William Hague ahead of the game in the recent scandal of MPs' expenses? I was intrigued to read that he has recently announced that he is withdrawing from his extra-parliamentary interests in order to concentrate on his role as opposition Foreign Spokesman.
When will the country wake up to that fact that the recent scandals surrounding MPs' expenses may be only the tip of a much larger iceberg which is MPs' outside earnings?
In the next few weeks, we should hear details published about multi-thousand pound directorships, lobbying fees and part-time jobs. People will rightly ask how do they have time to do all these things when they've been elected as MPs? The answer is simple. Because they're not spending the time doing what they're supposed to do in parliament. But this is nothing new.
In 2004, the Yorkshire Post led on an editorial exposing the scandal of James Cran, the MP for Beverley, who was branded the laziest MP in the country. The "Invisible Cran" was reported to have asked no questions, made no speeches and laid down no early day motions along the lines of the duties expected of an MP. He did collect his annual salary
and the allowances which went with it and spent his time in other pursuits.
When the electorate see how many MPs spend most of their time "in other pursuits" they will rightly ask not only why they should be paid allowances but why they should be paid at all? Stories about toilet seats, bath plugs and duck houses fade into insignificance against MPs who claim a full-time salary for doing a part-time job and in some cases no job at all.
Could this explain why some have been calling for a snap election to take place before all is revealed? I suspect William Hague has, in this case, acted very wisely.
Voters carry a heavy responsibility
From: The Rev Tony Buglass, Superintendent Minister, Upper Calder Methodist Circuit, Mytholmroyd, West Yorkshire.
A NUMBER of correspondents have responded to the distaste of those who are unhappy with the election of BNP MEPs by saying that it was democratic, so we should accept it. I wonder whether they've really thought that one through.
Democracy isn't always a good thing. The ancient Greeks who invented it actually didn't let everyone have a vote, so it wasn't really so very democratic. Hitler came to power in 1933 on the basis of a democratic vote, with pretty much the same proportion of the vote as Mrs Thatcher in 1979 (not that I'm drawing any parallels, you understand...)
The point is that it wasn't a good thing, because the National Socialists lied – more accurately, didn't tell the electorate the whole truth about their agenda. They played on the fears of the people about the future, scapegoating the Jews, promising to do something about the problems they faced as a nation.
That's what the BNP did, playing on fears about immigration and touching on the racism and xenophobia which is never very far beneath the surface when people feel threatened and marginalised. They didn't say very much about the more extreme elements of their ideology.
They preferred to sound notes of authentic Britishness, using a poster of a Spitfire (not noticing that the Spitfire they pictured was flown by a Polish squadron – 303 Sqn). They even tried to present themselves as a Christian party, aiming at the "I'm British so I must be Church of England" undercurrent – but in the process failing to notice that they were appealing to the most famous Jew of all time. Oops. As if Jesus would ever support racism.
Basically, the BNP lied to the electorate. Telling less than the truth is as much a lie as telling deliberate falsehood. The MEPs were elected not for being BNP, but for not being Labour, Conservative, or Liberal Democrat.
They were elected on a wave of anger and protest against issues in the British Parliament, combined with fear and upset about the consequences of recession, which had absolutely nothing to do with European politics.
They were elected on a smokescreen of lies and half-truths – Goebbels would be proud of them.
Democracy is a good thing when people take responsibility for their votes, when they take the trouble to understand what they're voting about, and vote for what will be the right way forward for their community.
Voting out of fear and ignorance destroys the whole democratic process, and leaves the whole community open to very bad things indeed. Let this be a shot across the bows for all voters. If you want democracy to work, get it right. It's much more than just giving everyone a vote. It gives everyone a great responsibility, too – for each other.
From: David W Wright, Little Lane, Easingwold, North Yorkshire.
THE honest and well-argued opinion column by Andrew Vine (Yorkshire Post, June 9) contrasts with the alarmist and inaccurate comments made by Jayne Dowle in her column (June 11) about the BNP and the recent local and EU elections.
We pride ourselves in this country on our tolerance and adherence to democracy and in this open society there must be room for all shades of political opinion, but Jayne Dowle's childish outburst does not help the rational and impartial debate about
so-called fringe parties and their rightful place in a free democracy.
These fringe parties exist basically because of the electorate's disgust and frustration with the current three party system who all read from the same discredited hymn sheet.
From; DM Loxley, Hartoft, Pickering, North Yorkshire.
UNTIL recently, people would blanch, shake with fear or run screaming if I mentioned "nuclear energy". Now there are politicians donning sackcloth-and-ashes because two BNP members were elected to the European Parliament.
Take heart! Apply just a little rationality. This was not a British General Election – that will be a different affair.
As for the MEPs, the Far Right number 72 and are lumped into the group called "other", which contains 26 Tories so the most that the extreme right can have is 44.
Out of a Parliament of 736, that is pretty small beer.
From: Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire, Shipley.
MY parents were like the parents of Nick Ahad (Yorkshire Post, June 9). My father always stressed that if you have lots of money you can lose it overnight, whereas if you have an education then no-one can take that away from you.
From: Brian Hardy, All Hallowes Drive, Tickhill, Doncaster.
RICHARD Corbett, the outgoing Euro MP, blames everyone and everything for his election defeat but conveniently overlooks his own failings during his time in the European Parliament (Yorkshire Post, June 11). He was a European Union worshipper and could always be relied upon to side with a European project against any criticism, no matter how outlandish that project might be or how harmful to the national interest.
I would suggest to Mr Corbett that maybe quite a lot of his Labour constituents did not share his fanatical adoration for the anti-democratic European super-state they see emerging before them, and this contributed in no small way to those Labour voters staying at home, so depriving the party and Mr Corbett of that second seat.
From: Caradoc Davies, Robert Street, Barrow-in- Furness, Cumbria.
FOR many years, the natural progression for failed politicians was a grotesquely overpaid non-job in the European Union. Now that the great proponent of the EU, Richard Corbett, has been replaced by a member of the BNP, perhaps we may now discover what is the favoured route for failed European politicians.
Thanks to employers who helped our Reservists
From: Richard Lenton, Regional SaBRE Campaign Director, Yorkshire and the Humber RFCA (Reserve Forces and Cadets Association), St George's Place, York.
AS the role played by UK combat forces in Iraq draws to a close, I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to all the employers in Yorkshire and the Humber who have supported, and continue to support, members of our Reserve Forces.
Over the last six years, more than 17,000 Reservists have served in Iraq or Afghanistan. They have shown tremendous courage and selfless dedication, whether serving on the frontline or providing vital support services. Their contribution has been critical to our success in Iraq and continues to be essential to our operations in Afghanistan.
However, their contribution would not be possible without the support they receive from their civilian employers, enabling them to balance their civilian and military careers. I know from speaking to employers in Yorkshire and the Humber, that many recognise the valuable skills and experience Reservists bring to the workplace. However, I also know that employing a Reservist is not always without its challenges.
If any employer would like any further information or advice about employing Reservists, please contact SaBRE on 0800 389 5459 or visit www.sabre.mod.uk
Frustration for trainspotters
From: Ian Pearson, Leeds.
I AM writing to express the upset caused to myself, a 13-year-old boy who likes nothing more than spending a day with my grandad trainspotting.
Unfortunately, this pleasurable activity has been ruined by some faceless wonder (who obviously doesn't have an interest in trains), who has dictated that members of the public can no longer watch and take photographs of trains at railway stations.
It's a shame, with all the anti-social behaviour in the region, that a perfectly innocent pastime has been denied to decent members of society, both young and old.
Our new leadership
From: Jim Beck, Lindrick Grove, Tickhill, Doncaster,
I'M still uncertain about the composition of my ideal government. Nick Robinson as Prime Minister, of course, but how to choose between Robert Peston and Vince Cable as Chancellor? Probably the former for his flair, and Cable gets the Home Office because he's so sensible.
The fourth great Office of State? I'm hoping that Nick will offer me the post of Foreign Secretary; could I do any worse?
Mum's the word
From; Martin D Stern, Hanover Gardens, Salford.
WITH all the advertising to persuade us to buy presents on Father's Day on June 21, I could not but notice that it is precisely three months after Mother's Day on March 21.
Or is it perhaps more significant that it is nine months before Mother's Day next year?
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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