Letter Writers' Guild

The words “democratic deficit” describe the gap between what a political Party has actually delivered, compared to what it promised to deliver to the electorate. And by electorate, we mean the 50%, or frequently less, of those who can be bothered to vote.
Politicians have therefore come to the inevitable conclusion that the electorate is not worth considering when it comes to keeping promises, so the democratic deficit is now almost total.
Labour, for example, has delivered virtually nothing of what it promised in 1997, and in addition has embroiled us in two insoluble wars costing money and lives. It has also signed the Lisbon Treaty that extends EU control over the UK, without the referendum that was promised. By comparison with these enormities, they have performed their traditional role of wrecking the economy almost as a sideline.
At the same time, politicians of all colours have put themselves beyond the whim of this half-hearted electorate, in order to retain office.
The Westminster Party mechanisms decide which MPs will stand, and where, preserving the elected status of those who have supported failure, while ensuring that those who have not are eliminated.

In Scotland, our 56 unelected List MSPs retain office by manipulating a secret system, and the first past the post safe seats go to those who will toe the Party line.
The electorate has finally become an irrelevance because of its own lethargy, and politicians can now do what they wish without interference, and with total disregard for anybody.
Democracy is dead.

MALCOLM P.