I HAVE to laugh when reading about how MPs are trying all tactics to wriggle out of the mess they're in. I suppose it's only human nature to help out their families – but to cook up jobs which don't exist, but are paid for by the taxpayer, is despicable.

As I write, I notice there are only12 MPs not standing for election next year. I make that 634 to go, as we need a good clear-out and fresh blood elected.

I am also patiently waiting to learn about court cases for the MPs who have been caught out. Repaying, a form of guilt, is not good enough to allow the matter to be dropped. The crime is there, blatantly staring the police in the face.

I was reading about a youngish farmer – a man who works all the hours God gave to put food on the table, but who got into financial trouble and killed himself because he was facing eviction.

Then, on the turn of the coin, we learn about some MPs fiddling money – some of which belonged to the farmer, no doubt – like there's no tomorrow, for doing very little. How can they sleep at night?

I question the need for so many MPs. After all, they're only puppets to Brussels now, so all that's needed is a handful of councillors with a small salary. Just see how many would do the job (if you can call it that) then.

I believe a government should be run just like a big profitable company with managers who have come up through the ranks.

This pomp and circumstance as it is at the moment, with MPs, the House of Lords etc., should be abolished. We may all be better off then.

Barry Thomas

Redruth

Tories lose votes

FROM reading press reports of last week's elections to Devon County Council your readers may have gathered the impression that it was a great victory for the Conservative Party.

However, if you look at the actual votes that were cast in comparison with the previous election, you will find many instances of the Conservative vote dropping very significantly.

From the wards I have looked at, they have lost one-third of their supporters since 2005, meaning that nearly 1,000 voters per ward have actually deserted them in the past four years.

You would think, with the previous vote taking place in 2005, and on the day when the Conservatives failed to win the General Election, that since then they would have gained a significant number of votes, particularly with the Labour Party in such dire straits; but the Tory vote has actually gone down.

And, of course, the Liberal Democrat vote also suffered badly last week – with the Labour vote in most, if not all, cases utterly derisory.

By contrast UKIP's support has increased significantly since then and, if David Cameron refuses to take on Stuart Wheeler's £100,000 bet that he (Cameron) will not hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty, one can only expect to see UKIP's vote continuing to build.

Hugh Williams

Chairman and Prospective Parliamentary Candidate UKIP South West Devon

Constitutional Act

IT is nonsense for David Williams (letter, June 2) to claim that the "Hunting With Dogs Act was passed by invoking an Act designed for the security of this country – a truly disgraceful abuse of power".

This legislation, banning hunting with dogs for sport, was enacted in November 2004 by the Queen and the House of Commons in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Act 1911. Contrary to Mr Williams' assertion, this old Act had nothing to do with our security: al Qaida and the Taliban were not even in the news in those days.

He is also wrong to imply that hunting with dogs is not an important matter. What other Bill took 700 hours of parliamentary time to be enacted? Is there any subject that has taken more space in the letters pages of the WMN than hunting?

In 1909 the Lords rejected the Budget of Lloyd George. This gave rise to a crisis that resulted in the Parliament Act 1911 enabling legislation to be made without the approval of the Upper House.

In 1975 Lord Carrington said that "the House of Lords should not insist on opposing a government Bill for which there is a mandate from the people".

I trust Mr Williams will now agree with me that the enactment of the Hunting Act 2004 was not unconstitutional.

John Phelps

Exeter

In praise of EU

YOUR correspondent David Lucas claims the Liberal Democrats made no mention of whether we support British membership of the European Union in our campaign literature ("In the dark on Europe", May 28).

Our literature in fact contained abundant information about why we think membership of the EU has been good for Britain and why we believe this is no time for isolationism.

UKIP and the Conservatives would stop the EU developing.

The Liberal Democrats believe that cross-border challenges such as climate change, migration and internationally organised crime mean we have to get the EU working properly.

Graham Watson MEP

Liberal Democrat, South West of England and Gibraltar

Dreary docks

I DO agree with Philip and Betty Smith (letter, June 2) about Millbay. For people from France coming on holiday for the first time and arriving in Plymouth it is not a welcoming sight or site.

I have travelled once via Britanny Ferries from Plymouth to Roscoff – in 1974 – and I thought then that the Roscoff terminal was a better arrival point.

John Hayes

Swimbridge