Breathtaking stupidity

WITH breathtaking stupidity the political class has swept the riots under the carpet. In an almost pathological display of hand-wringing and denunciation, MPs queued up to absolve themselves from any blame.

Better to get in quick and pin it on the “criminal gangs”, “thugs” and that catch-all, “rioters” - Middle East dictators nod in approval - or their own constituents, otherwise fingers might start pointing at them.

And the party leaders led the way, while the few dissenting voices, eg Caroline Lucas, were easily dismissed by the usual suspects who crawl out of the woodwork on such occasions.

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But this collective denial is not confined to Westminster. There has been much weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth among local councillors as if their own back-yard was an alien planet, instead of the ward they should know as well as does the social worker or the bobby on the beat.

Quality is at a premium. Our political system and institutions are corrupt and broken. They do not serve or represent us because the political parties have betyrayed the trust and responsibility that was reposed in them - yes, even by the rioters.

Power is transferring from our busted politicians to the streets. Increasingly it is those much-maligned and ridiculed religious and community leaders who are filling the void created by political desertion. Definitely not the kind of “Big Society” the coalition has in mind.

As for the Coalition, it has been a disaster, and the Liberals who made it possible should hang their heads in eternal shame.

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With 30 years of smash-and-grab capitalism and gross political dereliction - “there is no such thing as society” - coming home to roost. I know exactly those who should be standing in the dock with the “rioters”. Too many lives and communities have been shredded.

But there is no sign that our “government” has any intention of heeding the warnings. To the contrary, it neither listens nor learns. So there will be more marches and demonstrations and violence because the transfer of power is seldom a peaceful process.

STEPHEN JACKSON

Second Avenue

Bexhill-on-Sea

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