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Lords reform plea

MY fellow correspondent Steven Thompson states that I am a supporter of the ‘undemocratic and unelected House of Lords” (SA 4 August) whereas nothing could be further from the truth.

In letters published since 2006 I have made my position quite clear and whilst I believe in the need for a ‘revising chamber’ I most certainly have never agreed with the hereditary principle or of a wholly appointed House of Lords. Indeed as recently as July 2015 the Adver printed a letter in which I said “What is clear is that we need different types of Peers, for example we could have ‘Popular Peers’ – honoured for service or appointed on merit but who would not enjoy any particular privileges including entry to the House of Lords. Another group could be called ‘Political Peers’ – elected by the people for a limited period and able to sit in the Lords’ Chamber revising and voting on legislation; attached to this cohort could be ‘Professional Peers’ – men and women of eminence, who have experiences which would be useful in challenging perceived wisdom in many areas such as science, medicine, education and defence. The ‘new Lords’ should consist of no more than 400 and a revised Commons of no more than 600. What we do not want is a House made up of superannuated ‘has been’ politicians, especially when they have been rejected by the electorate”.

I do hope this clarifies my position – reform of the House of Lords is an absolute necessity and for my part I submitted my opinion to the Parliamentary committee undertaking a consultation on the subject; sadly politicians talk about reform but have little inclination to actually do anything after all it’s the place they hope to ‘see out their gilded retirement’. I recall Tony Blair had the best opportunity to effect reform when despite a majority of over 100 in the commons he ‘fudged’ the issue and appointed a raft of second rate political has-been friends to the red benches, a folly repeated by David Cameron who joins that ever growing list of ex Prime Ministers who promised much and delivered little.

DES MORGAN

Caraway Drive

Swindon

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Framing a story

‘WOMAD was a success – just two arrests . . ‘ says the headline (Adver 3.8.’16).

And your reporter goes on to quote Wiltshire Police, who say, from a policing perspective, WOMAD was ‘very positive’.

Well, that’s hardly surprising because, if your pic is anything to go by, WOMAD looks like a rest home, or field, for the over 40s, 50, 60s, . . . . Not a place where anyone looks like they are about to cause any trouble.

One man in the front row is fast asleep; next to him, another is having a good yawn; and everyone else, seemingly settled and comfy in their camping chairs, does not exactly appear to be shaking their tail feathers or about to break the law.

Your reporter has given us a story and so has the picture.

MATT HOLLAND

Shaw

West Swindon

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A point to note!

I HAVE always understood that Scottish banknotes do not have legal tender status in England. They do not have legal tender status in Scotland either. They are issued by Scottish banks and the Scottish economy works very well with them.

In England shops and restaurants can refuse to accept them but if they do accept they should not be given as change. If they do try then the intended recipient can refuse them. Also Scottish people and visitors to Scotland are discouraged from bringing Scottish notes into England as they will always have trouble changing them as Mr Steven Elder experienced.

The only places in England where Scottish notes are exchanged freely are the Border towns of Carlisle and Berwick on Tweed.

ROBERT MAJOR

Reeves Close

Eldene

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‘Crazy decision’

THE Governor of the Band of England has decided to cut interest rates down to a quarter of a percent.

This decision is crazy. Savers already get next to nothing on their savings. This hits pensioners the hardest as it means they get very little income on the money they have saved up during their lives.

It will also create a house price boom as mortgages become cheaper. There is already a dangerous house price bubble. Cutting interest rates will only make the situation worse.

With the pound dropping in value it would have made more sense to increase interest rates. Higher interest rates would have protected the value of the pound and helped to cool the dangerously over heating housing market.

STEVE HALDEN

Beaufort Green

Swindon

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Parish move mistake

I HAVE always thought it an absurd anomaly that some areas of Swindon have parishes whilst others do not.

Like Sue Barnes (letters, 28 July) I live in a non-parished area and would not object to paying my fair proportion of the costs of essential public services. These costs would include the basic Council Tax, to which is added (as at present) the Parish Precept and it is obvious that this precept would be greatly increased if major additional duties are foisted on the parishes. Councils employ experienced staff and operatives and own the necessary machinery tor operations such as grass cutting.

Parish councils simply do not have the resources and expertise (staff, operatives and machinery) and are not “geared up” to perform much of the work it is proposed to devolve on them. Far from saving money, which is presumably the object of the proposals, the total cost to council-tax payers resulting from these proposals would undoubtedly be increased. I would urge the council to abandon this ill-considered scheme.

G THEODORE HEATH

Clarke Drive, Shaw