Failure of candidates

I AM always happy to defend anything I have written in these columns, but justifying anything I haven’t said is another matter.

Caroline West is masterly in her misinterpretation of the facts as if wishing I had stated something in order to correct it! (Post letters, May 16).

No, I did not “equate” any additional funding for extra Senedd members with the reduction of Welsh MPS, as I specifically stated “partly covered” as she well knows.

The main purpose of my letter was to point out the abysmal failure of candidates seeking to abolish the Senedd as she does, and for which scant reference was made. Perhaps some facts and figures on this will help!

When I suggested savings could be made at the House of Lords, I was careful not to advocate “getting rid of it”, as I feel a revising and scrutinising chamber is essential. In the meantime, however, financial restrictions to the present system are well overdue, as is a more representative name for the institution. I did not bring politics into the argument at all yet we have been bombarded with facts and figures as to the political make-up of the place, of which I am fully aware.

What is concerning is the accumulation of wealth by many MPS dissatisfied with their £84,000 salary and earning vast sums outside Parliament. I haven’t said Tory MPS but most of us know the main culprits.

Knowledge of the facts is an asset, but knowing how and when to use them is even more important and I am afraid the correspondent fails badly on the latter. David L Davies Penclawdd