Guardian Fletter on the Chester By-Election, Parliamentary Democracy & Pressure from Without
I frequently receive comments that I used to write letters to the Guardian. I still do. Below is one published on 7th December
Your editorial is right to suggest that Keir Starmer needs some more robust policies on the economy, perhaps similar to the ones he had when he stood as Labour leader. The Chester byelection, however, has a wider point. It was the Tories’ worst performance in the seat since 1832. That was the year of the Great Reform Act, and the subsequent general election was a Whig landslide. The act, which started the long process of turning Britain into a parliamentary democracy, was designed to fend off the likely alternative – a revolution.
When the governing party can only secure 22% in an election for a seat that it held for generations but is unwilling to call a general election, there is a democratic deficit. If this is not addressed in parliament, it will be in workplaces and on the streets.
Keith Flett
Tottenham, London
The full discussion is here:
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