Democratic rights eroding

Mr Simon Lloyd-williams (Opinion, Observer November 11) tells us that ‘Democracy is alive and well’.

Is it? The last two years should be a lesson to us all.

Democracy can be defined in simple terms as ‘a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation, or, to choose governing officials to do so’.

Therefore, is knocking on people’s doors, listening and showing empathy all it takes?

As former Conservative Lord Chancellor Hailsham stated: “It is the parliamentary majority (i.e. the party system) which has the potential for tyranny.

The thing that courts cannot protect you against is Parliament, the traditional protector of our liberties.

But Parliament is constantly making mistakes and could in theory become the most oppressive instrument in the world.” (Sunday Times 19th July 1970).

However, the present government of late has been ‘ruling’ as a despotic power and getting away with it as those representing (if I may use that word) have done little or no critical thinking regarding current scenarios.

Most alarmingly there are still three bills laid before Parliament and if passed without thorough scrutiny would have very serious, disastrous effects on our democracy – for example on those being able to gather freely in public, to demonstrate openly, to enjoy open discussion online regarding medical or political topics and also to inhibit whistle-blowers so as to highlight immoral practices.

In reality our God-given democratic rights are slowly but surely being insidiously removed from us by our very own elected parliamentarians.

JOHN HUTCHINGS New Park Road Chichester