Helping the Honorable Member emerge from bewilderment

From: Robert Bottamley, Thorn Road, Hedon.

REFERRING to your report “MP targets ‘meddling’ bishops in storm over welfare reforms” (Yorkshire Post, November 21)).

Apparently, Julian Smith (MP for Skipton & Ripon) was “stunned by the Bishop of Leeds and Ripon’s entry into the debate on the Government’s proposed benefits cap”.

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The following points are offered in order to help the Honourable Member emerge from his state of bewilderment.

First, if the 18 bishops opposed to these proposals had instead signed a letter supporting them, I wonder how many of your readers suppose for a moment that Mr Smith would have felt impelled to register his objections.

Second, if a list of the occupations most over-represented in Parliament were to be produced, I confidently predict that the moral philosopher wouldn’t appear on it. The Bishop of Leeds & Ripon and his 17 colleagues would like to introduce the notion of ethics into the debate on benefit reform: it will come as no surprise to the general public to discover that a politician and his colleagues would like it much better if they didn’t.

Third (and following from the second point) when the MP for Skipton & Ripon accuses the bishops of a “complete disconnection” with the taxpayer, he treads on dangerous ground.

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How well Members of Parliament were connected with the taxpayer was amply demonstrated by the recent expenses scandal.

And finally, Mr Smith’s contention that running the country should be left to “democratically elected Government officials” would sound less hollow if the elected officials to whom he refers did not habitually circumvent democracy by appointing, as Ministers, people who were never elected at all. Electoral success (however temporary or narrow) seems to possess our politicians with a particular kind of arrogance which deceives them into believing they must be the only people in society who are entitled or qualified to express a political opinion. It is not for having spoken out that the Church deserves criticism, but for not speaking out often enough; for having spoken too softly, and too late.

From: Richard Coomber, Carlton Avenue, Shipley.

PERHAPS Julian Smith MP can explain why he is so upset that the “unelected” bishops put forward their views, yet I can recall no complaint from him about the actions of equally unelected lobbyists. Perhaps it’s because the bishops had the temerity to make their thoughts public through a newspaper rather than a word in the ear over an expense-account meal?

Or perhaps it’s because the bishops don’t contribute to party coffers or pour cash into important funds like the one that sent Liam Fox’s friend round the world in luxury? How typical that an MP is so concerned about the tax that is going to the less advantaged in our society but he and his colleagues do nothing to stem the tax that is shifted offshore or otherwise avoided and which, if paid, could reduce the tax bill of his constituents.

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