It has been a very disappointing year for those of us concerned about standards in public life.
A couple of months ago we had news about the awarding of PPE contracts (getting Mr Hancock, the then health minister, a pint and a bag of crisps in his local seemed to be a deal clincher) and David Cameron graciously deciding to moonlight as our Prime Minister while representing an Australian business man.
On the Labour side there was the commendation of the former MP Vaz and his shocking treatment of parliamentary staff, too ill to attend hearings on this matter (he claimed) but can still host a radio show and head the Labour party in Leicester.
We have had a group of Conservative men and women who voted through a bill to overhaul the parliamentary standards committee and by doing so, showing themselves up as not fit to grace an Essex used car auction.
Just a couple of days a go the Speaker of the House of Commons blamed a demonstrator outside for “interfering with democracy.”
The threat to democracy in more insidious and is coming from his colleagues in the Conservative party, not lone demonstrators outside the house.
Fellow citizens, long after this pandemic is history still keep a bottle of anti-viral gel handy just in case you have to meet, or heavens above have dealings with, any of these characters!
Rick Stringer
Needham Drive
Sutton St James
