Letter to My MP

Dear Mark Harper,

I am deeply disturbed by the tactics used by agents of this government with regard to apprehending illegal immigrants.

If, as it appears, men and women are being targeted for arrest based on the colour of their skin, I object most strongly. This is not the behaviour of a civilised nation, and it is NOT done in my name. 

I cannot approve either, of the 'Go Home' message that is being trialled, I understand, in areas of London. It has awful fascist undertones, even if not by design. 

Those who came to live here illegally are often dismissed as 'economic migrants' and so they may be, but many have escaped from unsafe homes, the very kind that I doubt you or I would care to see them returned to. 

Apply the law by all means, but let's proceed with methods commensurate with our national values of fairness, justice and compassion.

Yours sincerely,

Mary Francis

I did!

Dear Mark Harper,

I am very concerned about the cuts to the National Health Service,having read that 50 000 jobs are to axed.  I find it very difficult to believe that this number, if accurate, will not have a detrimental effect on patient care.

If this Coalition Government cannot demonstrate an ability to safeguard the National Health Service, neither of its constituent parties will have my vote at the next election.

On a not unrelated matter, I suspect, I read in the editorial of The New Scientist this week ('An Appeal To Fairness' 28 July 2012) that 21 trillion dollars are held in tax havens world wide, a sum greater than the combined GDP of the USA and Japan. Whilst applauding the fact that this 0.001 per cent won't have to fear the cuts in our NHS, I do wonder if our government is doing enough to make tax avoidance socially unacceptable, and perhaps, taking sufficient steps to close loop holes in our tax system?

As a retired public servant who never had (or sought) any means to choose whether or not I paid what I ought in taxes, I was unimpressed with the logic that lowering the top tax rate, would gain more revenue, because those subject to it would be more likely to pay it. What is legislation for, I wonder?


Yours sincerely,

Mary Francis