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It shouldn’t be all about party politics

Why is it that most politicians, both local and central (aided by the media), want to make every controversial topic into a party-political issue?

In many, if not most, cases it is inappropriate to implicate ‘party’ politics because there are differing views across party lines.

I can see no reason why party politics should play such a dominant role in local government. Does the repair of potholes, the collection of refuse, or the provision of parks and car-parking spaces have anything to do the ideology of any party?

In parliament, it seems that virtually all matters on which there is a vote is made into a party issue – so MPs feel obliged to obey their whips.

Yet again, many issues have common ground across the parties; so there ought to be a ‘free vote’ (not subject to ‘whipping’) in such instances.

The latest example of this is Brexit. It is well known that, at the time of the referendum, people from both the major parties voted for both Leave and Remain in almost equal numbers.

Both the major parties had it in their manifestos at the last general election that they would abide by the result of the referendum.

So, why has the recent squabbling about the proposed ‘deal’ been turned into a party issue – by both politicians and The Press? It is, perhaps, heartening to see that some MPs put ‘the people’ before their party – and disobeyed their whips. We need to have far more ‘free’ votes in both Local and central government. And we need to have more proper ‘impartial’ (not party) reporting and discussion in the media.

Malcolm Morrison, Prospect Hill, Swindon, Wilts

Not so much EU-nity...

May I quote Don Reeve (Adver, January 25). Perhaps the EU is not so disunited as Bill Williams would have us believe in his frequent letters to this paper.

Well Mr Reeve I will leave you to explain in your next letter about the following examples of unity shown by your utopian EU.

European rules state that asylum seekers must apply for protection in the first country they enter. Blatantly ignored right across Europe. Perhaps the French should show some European unity with Britain regarding the blind eye they turn to the immigrant Channel crossings.

Not to mention the riots on the French streets against Macron .At least the rioters seem united.

Where was the unity when Greece was allowed to join the EU when it was not financially sound enough.Then bankrupted by the Euro plunging the people into abject poverty.

Where is the EU unity when countries all over Europe are individually complaining about the strain of coping with excessive immigration?

Where was the unity that caused the riots and created vigilante groups to protect the women in Germany when Frau Merkel took in 1.1 million immigrants in 2015.

I could fill the letters pages with further examples of well documented European disunity and the every man for himself attitudes of European countries leaders.

But I wont bore the readers. I will end with the dictionaries definition of unity. United joined together for a common purpose.

Well if the above facts fit that description of common purpose. I will eat my bagpipes next Saturday in Regent street at the fountain at one o’clock.

Wrapped in the European flag . Wearing a Claude Drunkard face mask .They might be fooling you Mr Reeve, but they are not fooling me. Come to think of it, nor the other 17.4 million who voted leave.

Bill Williams, Merlin Way, Swindon