Ban cheat MPs from high office

Sep 2 2009 by Carrie Catterall, Birkenhead News

I REFER to the letter which appeared on page 18 of the Wirral News dated August 12, referenced Claim Truth.

I agree with most of what Ms Eagle asserts but I would take issue with one of her statements.

Ms Eagle refers to the recently widely reported scandal of expenses claimed by some MPs who were discovered among other things to be claiming for swimming pools, moats and non-existent mortgages.

Ms Eagle states that those who have made unfair, excessive and unnecessary claims need to be reprimanded.

The fact is, those who have made such claims from their employers the taxpayers, should be sacked in the same way as any other public service employees would be if they were found to have made unfair, excessive and unnecessary claims.

We can surely do without such individuals irrespective of their political party, even if some of them do hold high office.

To ensure this matter is not swept under the carpet as appears to be happening now that the press have lost interest, there should be a published full list of the individuals concerned and an updated ongoing report setting out the actions which have been or will be taken against them. Also, the offenders should be banned from holding public office in the future.

A. McAsey

Wirral

Fairer system

I READ the article in the Daily Express, August 24, and the new mayor of Doncaster seems to be a colourful character we should all welcome. Upon taking office he has made some sweeping changes, not least of all reducing his own salary from £72,000 to a more sensible £30,000 per annum.

But the thing that most amazed me was by reducing the number of councillors from 63 to 20, he will save the people of Doncaster close to one million pounds a year.

Now the population of Doncaster is roughly the same as Wirral, and we have 66 elected councillors – surely far too many. Let’s bring ours down to say 20.

What about in the next elections we have a system whereby any amount of candidates regardless of political party can put themselves up for election, the population of Wirral (about 300,000) vote and the top 20 elected members become the duly elected Wirral Council representatives, actually representing the electorate, the people who voted for them.

My vote will go to the candidate who will actually listen to the electorate and act on their behalf, not dictated to by a party political whip, preferably an independent.

If the successful candidate is part of a political party, that political party fully covers the total cost of that candidate’s expenses for the period of office. If the candidate is an independent working for the good of the population of Wirral then the rate payers fully support the expenses for the period of office.

I believe this would be a much fairer system, with all the financial dealings out in the open, all payments and costs fully declared, and taking party political dogma out of local affairs and to the direct benefit of the local population – true democracy.

Hugo Marchen

West Kirby

Caring staff

I AM writing to yourselves to comment on the care I had on Ward 10 as a patient.

I was due to have a hip replacement on August 27, but on Wednesday July 29, I got a call from the hospital asking if I could come in that afternoon, with a view to having my operation the next day. From the day I walked onto the ward I was treated fantastically.

The staff, from the nurses to the cleaners, were really kind and caring.

The part of the ward I was on was clean and tidy and if you had any problems they would be sorted out as soon as possible.

So to all the staff on Ward 10 thank you for making my stay so interesting and comfortable. Keep up the good work.

Denise Williams

via www.wirralnews.co.uk

Asda angels

SHOPPING at Asda, Liscard, last week with my friend, he collapsed and slowly sank to the floor.

Not unconscious but clearly in distress. In no time at all first a member of the public, then two Asda helpers were there. They brought a wheelchair and phoned for an ambulance. I held the trolley following them. The ambulance arrived very quickly and the Asda employees, Donna and Tina each gave me a phone number to let them know about the friend’s progress and also to arrange for delivery of the purchases.

I mentioned I was hungry after a swim and not having had breakfast they brought me a sandwich and a drink, which they insisted was free. Also a bottle of water for the friend.

As it happened he was able to tell the paramedics all the relevant details while they took his blood pressure and did an ECG.

So I opted to follow them in my car. Otherwise one of the Asda girls said to phone her and she would have come out to Arrowe Park, picked me up and returned me to my parked car.

After he was finally settled in Arrowe Park for yet one more blood test, I returned home for a card and then to the cashpoint at Asda.

I went in to thank them and the money was declined and the food carried to my car.

I am 80 and so appreciated all this kindness. Thank you Asda staff.

Mrs P. Kenna

Wallasey.

Training joke

DOES one have to be as thick as a councillor to qualify for training in this new Travel Training waste of money initiative?

It isn’t April 1st, is it?

Glynn D. Parry

Bromborough

Diabetes call

WE are calling on your readers to help bring diabetes to light on World Diabetes Day (Saturday 14 November).

We are taking part in the World Diabetes Day Monument Challenge and are calling on your readers to join in by lighting local landmarks and buildings in blue on or around 14 November. Blue represents World Diabetes Day because it is the official colour of the UNite for Diabetes campaign which was instrumental in the United Nations’ resolution recognising diabetes as a major threat to global health.

World Diabetes Day aims to raise awareness of diabetes and the impact that it has on the 250 million people with diabetes around the world.

This year the theme of World Diabetes Day is Diabetes Education and prevention. In the UK, there are 2.5 million people diagnosed with diabetes and this number is estimated to rise to 4 million by 2025.

If you are interested in helping us by getting a local landmark lit up in blue please e-mail worlddiabetesday@diabetes.org.uk or visit www.diabetes.org.uk/WorldDiabetesDay for further information.

Douglas Smallwood

Chief Executive, Diabetes UKŠ