Lifelong Conservatives despair at backing for gay marriage

an excellent column from Jayne Dowle (Yorkshire Post, May 23) about her 92-year-old mother-in-law, who like me, and I guess many other lifelong Conservatives, are shuddering at the antics of David Cameron and his ardent followers.

There are many of us out in 
the country who are not 
“swivel-eyed loons” who have worked hard all our lives, 
saved what we could, perhaps had our own business and 
then have thrust upon us such daft ideas as the Gay Marriage Bill, only getting through by Cameron jumping into bed with Labour!

What can we expect next?

To see my MP Julian Smith trumpeting forth on the BBC news his support for this Bill took the biscuit!

The amazing thing to me is that one might have expected an outcry from our Christian community, but even they appear lacklustre. The promises that were so glibly made in 2010 to get rid of red tape, end a deal of bureaucracy in local government, and, of course, the question of a referendum on Europe lie in ashes. I read in the media a few days ago that because some children in a Lincolnshire village were seen climbing a tree on the village green, and had done so for years, the council were going to chop down the tree for health and safety reasons.

The other even dafter situation was that the residents of Bakewell couldn’t have their annual custard pie battle because of health and safety reasons.

No doubt Jayne Dowle’s mother-in-law feels as frustrated as I do.

I was so impressed by Jayne’s column that I am sending a copy with accompanying letter to Julian Smith – who might show it to David Cameron – but I won’t hold my breath.

From: Dr Glyn Powell, Bakersfield Drive, Kellington.

WITH the economy in meltdown, the lunatic Tories choose to self destruct by squabbling over gay marriage. Admittedly, gay marriage would not be one of my priorities, given the parlous state of the nation. However, this issue demonstrates clearly how out of touch Tories and their supporters are from ordinary people.

This was clear from the language used by Tory MPs when attacking the measure. To these dinosaurs, gays are alien beings from another planet instead of humans with sexual orientation that differs from the heterosexual norm.

On EU withdrawal, the Tories are clearly running scared of Ukip. We should quit the nonsensical EU and forge closer trading links with developing Commonwealth countries plus Russia, China and other Far East nations.

Also we cannot sustain a population of 60 million on banking, financial services and service industries. To succeed, the country requires a manufacturing base equivalent to at least 30 per cent of gross domestic product.

From: Barrie Frost. Watson’s Lane, Reighton, Filey.

OUT it comes again. Another airing of that most hackneyed and childish “funny” that is so old and well past its sell-by date that I believe when I first heard it I almost choked on my Farley’s rusk. It was uttered by a senior MP, which probably resulted in other MPs rolling in the aisles of Westminster unable to control their laughter, marvelling at such wit.

The silly saying responsible for such hilarity – “if you pay peanuts you get monkeys”. The truth is that huge salaries do not prevent the employment of monkeys, as all we get are better paid monkeys. If the views of this senior MP are correct he must believe that all current MPs, including himself, are monkeys for being paid peanuts. Does he, therefore, believe parliament should be purged of all such monkeys to allow a fresh intake of higher paid and thus more talented MPs?

Of course, instead, a far better option is so obvious it escapes their attention. The vastly surplus number of MPs could, with considerable advantages, be reduced from over 650 to around 400, but this does not seem possible as no MP wishes to leave the gravy train. Indeed, a reduction of a mere 50 MPs was rejected recently, by, of course, MPs themselves.

If they wonder why the electorate hold them in such contempt, perhaps a reduction in pay should be recommended as this would give them a better understanding of what life in the real world is all about and a true incentive to improve their performances and thus achieve higher and deserved salaries.