Priti Patel’s critics are misguided; Home Secretary is doing her best – Yorkshire Post Letters

ALASTAIR Campbell (The Yorkshire Post July 19) has certainly not lost his aptitude for spin.

He accuses Boris Johnson of having deliberately provoked division and racism.

What a ridiculous thing to say about a Prime Minister who has chosen a Cabinet that is culturally more diverse than any in our history.

Similar criticism is also aimed at our Home Secretary, Priti Patel.

How can anyone possibly believe that she, with all of her personal experience of racial abuse, is not sincere in her disgust at online abuse of England footballers?

Attacks on Boris Johnson and Priti Patel seem to be based not so much on what they have said, as on what they have refused to say.

There is a serious debate to be had whether “taking the knee” 
at public events is beneficial to race relations, or whether it actually makes matters worse by making people more race conscious.

Refusal to join that debate does not amount to “stoking an atmosphere” that led to abuse.

From: Mark Harrison, Swainby, Northallerton.

THE destruction of democracy by this Government is alarming and threatens us all. The rise of dictators and oppressive regimes follow frighteningly similar paths.

The newly published Elections Bill gives Ministers the power to define what is campaigning and to restrict or prevent it.

This Bill could cause co-ordinating opposition to be an offence, and permits political meddling in the Electoral Commission.

In practice “take back control” is merely a power grab by our Prime Minister’s cabal. A cabal which broke election expenses and lies with impunity.

Our democracy is critically dependent on free elections in which unaffiliated organisations, charities and even the person on the street can be part of the debate. Currently independent groups like Best for Britain can provide voters with information on parties and their policies.

By putting restrictions on campaigning and cross-party co-operation, this Bill stifles healthy opposition. It is an attack on the foundations of our democracy.

My MP, Rishi Sunak, is at the heart of Government and should be challenged about this. Post-Covid, he should have the guts to make himself available to a public debate with his constituents.

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