Tom Brake’s failed in his reply to reassure us that the lobbying bill isn’t simply a way of clamping down on campaign groups holding him and other politicians to account.

He’s shown no sign of apologising to his constituents for misleading us before the election when he kept quiet about his party’s intentions for the NHS.

This was the main issue for Londoners and at no point did he promote his belief that the NHS needed to be opened up to “any willing provider” and billions spent to push through their reforms.

After the election, Tom was forced to meet with constituents who were dead set against the reforms but he ignored us and already seeing a billion pound sell off of elderly care to a friend of Cameron’s.

And there is a pattern here.

When an “outstanding” local school in Croydon suddenly had temporary staff shortages it was downgraded and the Department for Education threatened to sack their staff if they challenged their decision to pass the school to the Harris Academy which is run by a friend of Cameron’s.

Similarly, another friend of Camerons’s from A4E was given a lucrative contract to get the unemployed back in to work. They paid themselves handsomely but didn’t help the unemployed.

The director of Unlock Democracy noted of the lobbying bill that the “legislation came from nowhere, in stark contrast to how changes to election law have conventionally been developed”.

This is likely to go the same way as the NHS, silencing constituents as more public services get privatised to enrich the corporate friends of the coalition.

It’s now clear whose side he is on.

Mark Murton; Mint Road, Wallington

 

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