Tuesday 2 August 2011

An update on a 'discussion' with my MP.......

Readers will know that last October I attended a meeting with my constituency MP in which I raised what I believed to be an injustice caused by government policy in respect of the treatment afforded the elderly and the 'vulnerable' in our society.

It will also be recalled that; at a promised meeting with Grant Shapps we had but 10 minutes of the 'great man's' presence; that representatives from the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Services Commission had withdrawn, citing spurious reasons; I had written to my constitutency MP requesting that the meeting be reconvened with all the promised attendees present.

After weeks of 'silence' I emailed once again and received a reply from Cameron's PA advising that he would reply, but was waiting a reponse from the MoJ, and that the delay was due to 'his wish to provide a full response'. My indignation at receiving a copy letter from Shapps to Cameron - which was patronising in the extreme and which did not address the points I had raised subsequent to my meeting with him, received under cover of a compliments slip from the 'Office of David Cameron - is perhaps understandable.

I can but quote part of my reply to his PA:
"It is appreciated that David Cameron is 'on holiday', but I have to say this demonstrates what I can only describe as 'sloppiness' on the part of someone within his office. It is also appreciated that being Prime Minister means that David Cameron has many pressing matters that need his attention, but - he is still my Member of Parliament and as such has a duty to deal with and answer correspondence from a constituent of his in a professional and acceptable manner - something which is obviously lacking in this instance.

Let us be clear; what has occured is that David Cameron has received what amounts to a petition from me, complaining that government policy is wrong on a number of points and requesting redress. Consider: as my constituency MP - and because of his dual role as Prime Minister - David Cameron is unable to 'air' my grievance in the House of Commons - something which also applies to any Sec of State, Minister and PPS; that bearing in mind also his statement made, during our initial meeting on this subject at his surgery, that 'national policy will always remain supreme over local policy; and that, according to the Parliament website, MPs "
Generally,..... will present all petitions they receive from their constituents. However, MPs aren't compelled to present petitions...." it does beg the question whether our democracy is all that it is presented as being.

It would, perhaps, be advantageous were David Cameron and his office, together with Grant Shapps - to utilise a 'certain phrase' - 'get a grip' and act in the manner they should; and one to which I, although retired, contribute, albeit in a small way, to 'the pot' from which they get paid.

Please do on-pass this email to my constituency MP as I feel he has 'certain questions' to answer.
"
That our democracy - and the process of - per se, is 'questionable' cannot now be beyond doubt. When a contstituent is being 'palmed-off' by one elected to represent him - but one who cannot - then it is obvious that we, as a people and a class of our society who are supposed to be the masters - are well and truly doomed to servitude.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel your pain. I used to write to my MP now and again, but the replies received barely addressed the points raised and simply quoted government policy. I rather had the sense of having my maths book marked when aged six.

Given that she has now shamefully supported the IMF Greek bailout and ongoing wars I don't bother anymore.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

Saot: All I can say is that whilst your attitude is understandable the way they treat us is part of their attempts to cower us into submission - and I will not be cowed!

The Gray Monk said...

You very rapidly learn, when working alongside or for Civil Servants or the politicians they hide behind, that all correspondence or communication must comply with the following 'Rules' -

1. The response must be polite.
2. It must be factual.
3. It must add nothing to the sum of knowledge already held by the addressee.

By the sound of it your MPs response seems to have fulfilled the requirements of 2 and 3 but failed to cover No. 1.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

TGM: Ok, so I failed on point 1..... :)

Events have moved on and I have been assured DC's office are 'chasing officials', so hopefully a response will be forthcoming within the next 12 months..... :)

bingobax@gmail.com said...

what I find very hard to believe WFW is the fact given your many previous posts on issues of governance that you expected any response different to the one published here!

if that is so all I can say is welcome to our world of the totally disenfranchised servile peasants and I only have this to say;

it will never change unless we regain control of the money supply and we are approaching a crossroads, we either do it in enough numbers (a few millions on teh street, they can't kettle us all) and peacefully to frighten them into taking notice or it becomes violent;

as a wise man once said "a man with nothing to lose is dangerous and to be feared, but when the many who have little to lose have even that taken away from them, be afraid be very afraid"

WitteringsfromWitney said...

b: No I did not expect satisfaction however I did expect that I would be kept up to date with progress.....?

As I remarked in an earlier post, something (I know not what at present) will occur and that will get the masses out onto the streets.

You may have noticed that I am going to attempt to draft the workings of an alternative form of government, but it will be government by the people resulting in the politicians having to come to us for approval for what they wish to spend.....

James Higham said...

but - he is still my Member of Parliament and as such has a duty to deal with and answer correspondence from a constituent of his in a professional and acceptable manner

Very much so - nothing further to add.

Anonymous said...

WfW ~ I am not cowed, I just don't bother writing to them anymore.

Christopher Hitchens described how Vaclav Havel resisted the commies when they were in power. He behaved as if he were free, as do I. It is liberating.

Edward Spalton said...

Unfortunately Vaclav Havel, splendid fellow in many ways, came to power and followed a policy of abject Czech servitude to the EU project and German interests in particular.

In some ways, this has been offset by the more rumbustious Vaclav Klaus - a man of some toughness and principle - but let down by Britain and France (as at Munich) and perhaps too late to regain his country's freedom.

Dr. Miroslav Polreich, who was Czech Ambassador to the OSCE in Vienna in the Nineties, told me some years ago "Now my country can have only one foreign policy - to find the nicest, kindest Germans and hope that they will be good to us".

WitteringsfromWitney said...

JH: Sad isnt it?

Saot: Ok, but still think that by giving up writing you have - but hey ho, each to their own......

ES: Good point!