Since the last election I’ve been shocked at the policies implemented by this Government and kept trying to persuade my MP Tom Brake against supporting cuts to the poorest in our society along with the needless privatisation of services such as the NHS.

I then started writing to him via the Sutton Guardian but it made no difference despite many agreeing with the concerns I was raising.

I then practically gave up as I realised that politicians can ignore us and we can’t appear to hold them to account.

Then along came 38 Degrees. Not only did I agree with the campaigns they were working on such as against the privatisation of the NHS and cuts for the sick and disabled but they were able to get expert advice from legal services to support their campaigns whilst having a membership of over a million people around the UK.

Now guess what – my MP is supporting a bill to gag campaign groups like 38 Degrees from holding him to account.

He claims 38 degrees has “exaggerated” and “misrepresented” the effects of an anti-lobbying bill and accused us of being “alarmist”.

As someone who admitted to me that his party did not “set out in detail” before the election to his own constituents that his party wanted to open up the NHS to "any willing provider" and ignored the representations from medical groups and the views of the vast majority of the British Public, he cannot be trusted to respect democratic processes.

I would urge those with similar views to write to both our MPs to stop them trying to close down one of the last avenues for ordinary people to hold politicians to account.

Mark Murton; Mint Road, Wallington

 

TODAY'S TOP SUTTON STORIES