Trust the people to make sound decisions

WHEN I stood for Parliament, I must admit one factor was the awareness that, if elected, I would be receiving a wage more regular than I had enjoyed for many years previously.

Another motive was to try to prevent getting into office one of those trivia politicians who pick out partisan policies, and then try to tell the rest of us to believe in them, rather than providing what the ordinary person needs for that challenge called everyday life.

One thing I began to believe in more and more was the concept of true democracy – not the reduced version thrown at us all too often – but the fundamental idea of citizens having freedom of thought and action. That ordinary people can very often be trusted to make sound decisions – while all too many politicians can’t.

Having known and had respect for so many Labour Party supporters, for instance, who really wanted a more equal society, an end to poverty, and fair shares, it was always galling to find their elected representatives bogged down in the usual partisan trivia, making vague noises (when it suited them) about unemployment – or even being in favour of nearslavery schemes (i.e. compulsory but with no wages) such as ”New Deal” to give an appearance of caring.

Everybody is bothered about homelessness – even only to the extent of the bother of finding a wet sleeping bag in somebody’s doorway – and the fact that people, ordinary people, care about food poverty, is reflected in the boxfuls donated for the food bank at many a checkout. Homelessness is a dead subject with my MP, however, as it was with her predecessor – both in theory representing a fair shares party. As for the food bank, our MP proudly puts it in her leaflet (among all the other trivia) that she supports it.

My contention is that as a politician she should be doing no such thing; the political establishment have got us into this mess, her job is to be working in Parliament to create an economic climate where everybody can pay for their own dinner, and food banks wither away because they are unnecessary.

When I stood for Parliament, I realised that if elected (or even before) I would be bombarded with complaints and imperious suggestions from all manner of people on all kinds of issues

– and a good job, too, as it was part of that sacred thing called democracy.

From even before our MP was elected, I tried to bring to her attention the plight of women who have had a bad abortion experience. And I mean bad. Apart from a brief expression of general sympathy, she has refused to consider any suggestion or discussion, to the extent of refusing to respond altogether. Being a partisan always-more-abortion supporter is no excuse for this behaviour from an MP.

Joseph Biddulph

Pontypridd