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Health of democracy
• ELECTIONS for the European Parliament take place next month, prompting the question: just who is the present MEP?
Why should anyone vote for him/her? Sadly some vote on a party ticket without knowing anything about the candidate.
That organisation is a bureaucrats’ vision of heaven as they trot out endless new regulations, and but for Ireland, we would be voting for a permanent president.
Let it revert to the original concept – a Europe-wide common economic area confined to matters of trade only. Just how much does the twice-yearly transfer between Brussels and Strasbourg cost?
Locally, news that some Labour councillors will stand down in 2010 (Labour deny ‘implosion’, April 30) shows signs of a healthy democracy.
Those such as Penny Abraham have served their constituents well over many years, 16 in her case. She deserves a happy retirement, there is more to life than politics, so said some wit.
Brian Woodrow has been deselected for Holborn but could be adopted elsewhere.
His experience in planning is much needed. Remember when in 2005 attempts were made to deselect Roger Robinson? He survived and as evident in his letter last week, continues his defence of council housing among other activities.
As long as I can recall there has always been at least 10,000 on the council housing waiting list. When Margaret Thatcher allowed the sale to tenants of the stock, those sold were not replaced.
What about housing associations?
Are they building? Are they accountable to tenants? Voters can sack councillors. HAs’ funding is from the Housing Corporation through taxes. From what is rumoured, many HA managements are, frankly, incompetent.
As to the sale of council housing to fund repairs to stock, these are mainly, so I understand, “street properties” which have been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that to bring them back to standard would incur millions.
That may be but, allowing the concept, they should be replaced with units to rent. A contentious view, but we need to be realistic.
Skip Murphy
Prince of Wales Road, NW1
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