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West End Extra - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 9 May 2008

Let’s scrap the assembly and rejig House of Lords

• AS A subscriber to the principles of direct democracy, I welcome the position taken by New Local Government Network, which argues for the abolition of the GLA as it adds little value to Londoners.
To the lay person, the GLA members are just like their European counterparts, people who are nameless and unaccountable.
I wonder how many Londoners know who their GLA member is?
And if they do know them, whether they ever contacted them?
I doubt if the figure is more than a handful.
Hands up if anyone knows what the GLA member does and whether they would miss their member if the GLA was abolished tomorrow?
Not many takers I hope!
Many GLA members are people who already have well-paid other private sector jobs and or already hold public office.
Some are sitting councillors or MPs. This doubles or triples their income and it’s an injustice to public service.
It’s a simple money-making gimmick.
We Londoners have to pay through our noses for their plush offices, perks and salary, through the council tax.
Let’s keep the mayor and let him/her be held to account by the leaders of the 32 London boroughs.
They can act as indirectly elected GLA members.
At a stroke Londoners can save a big packet and get accountable and sensible cost-effective London government.
The Gordon Brown government should be bold and scrap the London Assembly. This would make the mayor more accountable to Londoners and it will be cheaper.
Also, instead of electing the House of Lords, or percentage thereof (rest nominated etc to complicate matter for the voters), why don’t we just send the deputy leaders of all UK councils (500 at a time for five years, say, one term only) on a rotation basis?
This would represent the nations and the regions as well. It would save money and keeps the House of Commons supreme, as the new House of Lords would be indirectly elected.
Just imagine the savings! The added bonus is that we would not have to elect even more politicians with mind boggling elections systems.
Let us make use of the existing politicians be used more efficiently and smartly.
Abdul Salam
Camden Street, NW1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, West End Extra, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@westendextra.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Wednesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld.
Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number.
Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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