Last week I wrote to my local MP Robert Syms. I explained the great sadness and upset I felt had been caused by the revelations of casual disregard of the Covid rules by those responsible for imposing them. While my family had been prevented from seeing dying relatives and attending funerals, they partied on. Back came a standard holding letter: “Wait for Sue Gray’s report” came as no surprise. What goes on in his mind? I have asked myself this often in recent days. His statement to the Bournemouth Daily Echo revealed his thinking.
He said: “I have had 200-300 emails, some from the usual suspects but quite a lot of Conservative voters too, normally we do not get that.”
What does that say about the state of British politics that anyone not slavishly sharing his political allegiance to the current Conservative Party should be regarded as a ‘usual suspect’?
Meanwhile, new MP for West Dorset, Chris Loder, chose the Telegraph (£) to have his say. Once again, the language used was telling as he described the emails he received:
“… not from ‘frequent flying regular political opponents’, but heartfelt feelings of sadness and distrust from decent and good people who tell me enough is enough.”
Are we to take it that anyone who does not share his politics, or who has written to him before to register concern or disagreement, is neither decent nor good?
The majority of us who do not move in what is clearly the very toxic and febrile atmosphere of Westminster, find it difficult to understand this ‘war footing’ mentality. Britain’s reputation for common sense and level-headed pragmatic judgement (in which I have spent my entire working life) has been thrown out of the window by the post-2019 Johnson administration. It is no wonder many people feel simply repulsed by the toxicity of it all and turn away.
For that, and for so much more, this Government needs to go.
