Readers' letters from Saturday 30 May 2009

Shamed by brave Jean

 HAS anything on a local level put into context the moral bankruptcy of some of our elected MPs and their claims for expenses more clearly than the death of Jean Murphy?In an effort to prolong her cancer-stricken life, she had to go to the High Court to get the medication she needed and was denied. She received an anonymous donation to help her. At the same time, some MPs claim and receive monies for moat cleaning, duck houses, TVs etc and try their hand at tax avoidance. May Mrs Murphy find eternal peace and her family find solace in her release from pain; she was a true Salfordian.

R. Colwell, Swinton

Wasted votes

I AM an 87-year-old widow and I was always told never to waste my vote. In fact, when my husband died at 5am on May 1, 1997, and we were grieving, my son took me to vote that same afternoon. But when I read about the expenses the MPs in London have claimed – never again.

MW, Eccles

Betrayed by MPs

AT long last an avalanche of anger and disgust has descended on the Mother of Parliaments. A deep-seated malaise has entered its soul – if it ever had one – and entered the spirit of that legislative body. An all too-trusting and apathetic electorate has woken up to the outrageous fact that it has been rooked and betrayed by the most corrupt post-war Labour government to hold office. New Labour was basking in the golden rays of the 1990s; its claim that it could run a capitalist society better than the Tories appeared to be true, that is until the iceberg of the credit crunch loomed into view and sank the economic Titanic. When the curious, like me, attempted to seek information on MPs’ expense accounts under the Freedom of Information Act, Justice Minister Jack Straw blocked it, while the discredited Speaker of the House spent over £150,000 of our money to prevent disclosure. He will not be required to pay it back. He will enjoy his £77,000 annual pension and a kick upstairs to the House of Lords. At a time when millions are losing their jobs and pensions, the House of Commons enjoys the best pensions in the country, costing the taxpayer £38m. Any attempt to address the appalling state of the nation would take half-a-dozen Oliver Cromwells.With the collapse of the banking system and bankers already girding their loins to pay out bonuses, everything is hunky dory!

T. Perkins, Burnage

They will pay

IT is appalling that MPs can claim expenses or allowances on a second home or even a third, not to mention food and household costs, even the community charge. They say it is allowable under the terms of the scale that is available. If that be so then the whole set-up needs urgent appraisal. MPs should be allowed to claim expenses on parliamentary business only, such as travel etc. An MP is paid a generous salary so with all these expenses, one is tempted to ask what they spend their salary on. The taxpayer must be protected. MPs who have had a case of false claims proven must be ordered to repay the whole amount. All this is a terrible indictment against the present government. They will pay a heavy price at the election.

Tony Watts, Old Trafford

Let's move on

WITCH-HUNTS against politicians claiming unnecessary expenses fill newspaper columns and keep people entertained. I wonder if the serious business of politics is continuing amid the ‘slaughter’.Serious issues like secrecy and internal security still need attention. How interested are our politicians in safeguarding people’s jobs and dealing with extremists when their own profession is all anybody seems interested in?

D. A. Clarke, Ardwick

Remember Tom

‘PRIDE of Manchester’ Tom Buckley has lost his young life to cancer. My heart goes out to his family. To achieve what he did against all odds, despite the pain and agony, to raise £80,000 for the Christie was astounding. Lives will be saved because of Tom and his sheer guts and bravery; he wanted to make a difference and save the lives of other cancer patients. In this day and age of knife crime and muggings, it’s a pity that there aren’t more people like Tom who could make a difference. There should now be a memorial plaque at the Christie dedicated to Tom, just to say thank you from the people of Manchester. He will always be a shining star and not just here; he will never be forgotten. Thanks a million Tom and God bless you.

Veronica Lloyd, Stretford

Peril of ignoring voters

I AGREE with the MEN that the BNP are a party of ignorant racists, but I feel the campaign you have started has not yet addressed the core issues.The reason the BNP could gain a seat at the European parliament is not because of increased racism in our society, but because mainstream political parties have failed to engage with voters on issues they care about. As voter turnout has declined, political parties have focused on the narrow margin of swing votes, which typically fall into a demographic of educated, middle-class professionals. This has left working classes (of all colours) without a voice.If you no longer feel you have marketable skills thanks to your employer outsourcing your job overseas, is it any surprise you would feel resentment towards those you perceive as taking ‘British’ jobs? As a young, educated, middle-class male with marketable skills, I feel I have a future. Tens of thousands in the region feel they do not. Until the main parties realise support for the BNP is of their own making and focus on these people, they will lose ground.Declining birth rate and de-skilling mean we need millions of working immigrants by 2030 to avoid scrapping the state pension and reducing NHS services. The majority of immigrants create jobs rather than take them off others. And we are not pure Anglo-Saxon, but a mix of Saxon, Celtic, Norman, Scandinavian, East European, African and Asian. Calling the BNP names is like bullying the unpopular kid in the playground. The MEN must campaign for mainstream parties to address some of these daunting questions. 

Paul Robinson, Manchester