Re: Edwina Curry

I think that everyone should exercise political tolerance but that surely must not preclude people from freely discussing matters of importance or interest. Is that not a key principle of democracy?

Whatever our differences we must all try and change things for the better, but the brutal truth - and this will no doubt upset many people - is that until a particular problem affects someone directly they are simply not interested enough to want to do something about it.

Just have a look at the number of petitions posted on the governments website on very many subjects and note how many folk are really bothered about any of them to add their name. I accept that many of the petitions are flippant but a lot are worthy causes.

If people spent as much time making their voices heard on subjects like the care for the elderly, the NHS, and the extortionate utility charges as they do paying to vote for some tasteless talentless TV contest we would force the Government to do something once and for all.

Without a groundswell of public outcry such as we notably achieved for the Gurkha's, those in power now, just like the inept crew before, will do little as they can argue that there is nothing wrong.

In the meantime I would suggest, do what some of us have been doing for an awful long time, constant lobbying and complaining to your own MP and the relevant Ministers, at their surgeries, in writing and online.

We have to make our voices heard and when they are heard, it works.