Letter to the Editor: I have written before: is parliamentary democracy working now, and are we getting value for money?

This last parliament has been a disaster for this country. 

We are moving backwards instead of forward. 

Yes we can blame everything on the pandemic, and this government does, but in truth it was a political blessing as they could hide behind all the other troubles they had created. 

It is a good and well used political move to “Turn the Spotlight away from yourself and find something else to focus on”

What with political scandals, (ongoing), uncertainties of how select and retain a prime minister (ongoing), a constant change of senior ministers (ongoing) how can you possibly have any small amount of stability? 

Foodbanks to help people feed their families (ongoing), fuel poverty (ongoing), businesses closing down because of ever increasing costs (ongoing) the list is endless and chaos it seems is the norm.

The country is still divided over Brexit.

 Policies and manifesto commitments abandoned (ongoing), dissatisfaction on behalf of working people with pay and conditions (ongoing), the police, NHS and other critical services understaffed and struggling to cope (ongoing). 

Is there anything at all to cheer us up?

The government has a salary review body that always finds a way of giving ministers a better than inflation increase in their inflated salaries, but it doesn’t end there as they can claim expenses for all manner of “work related costs”. POSTAGE for example is set at the moment at £9000.00/year yes £9000.00 per minister. 

In this technological age I find this astonishing, and you can be assured that it is used to the last penny by a lot of them.

We have a two tier system for getting things done with the House of Commons (650 members) and then House of Lords (792 members), stacked full of people who are drawing extortionate pay. 

I could easily see each MP drawing a minimum of at least £250,000 including expenses for travel, second houses and constituency offices and Lords getting £300-plus attendance, travel expenses accommodation and meals/day for what, I believe is ruining this country!!

No I don’t have the answer to this very serious situation, but the current system is broken and needs serious repair and sooner than later.

Bob Harris, Berry  Hill