Dear Stephen,
I would just like to say that I am very disappointed that you voted "yes" on the NHS bill: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmdebate/c_22.htm. Indeed, I was under the impression that you were going to vote against it. I had previously forwarded you two petitions from 38Degrees on the dangers of this bill being passed, and you indicated in your reply to them that you'd be voting against it, that you were "against the changes to the NHS". (http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/content/NHS-legal-MPs-replies). You have seemingly, at the last minute, changed your mind.
It now seems to me and others that the Liberal Democrats would rather stay in power at any cost than stand by your own party's principles and leave the coalition; I, amonst many others, have lost faith in the Liberal Democrats as a viable option to the conservatives.
Next election I will be voting Labour, and in the mean time I will be doing everything in my power to protest, demonstrate and uphold my civic duty to stand by the vulnerable and less well off in society. This is unlike the coalition party, who seems intent on helping the rich get richer (eg. recent executive wage rises are 63%) while the less well off get poorer (eg. average worker wage rises are up only 27%, though this hardly matches the rising cost of living) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14781254).
Next election I will be voting Labour, and in the mean time I will be doing everything in my power to protest, demonstrate and uphold my civic duty to stand by the vulnerable and less well off in society. This is unlike the coalition party, who seems intent on helping the rich get richer (eg. recent executive wage rises are 63%) while the less well off get poorer (eg. average worker wage rises are up only 27%, though this hardly matches the rising cost of living) (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14781254).
That this "recession" is being used to rob the lower middle classes of money and services, including youth centres, and transfer that money to the rich is frankly disgusting. That the tax payer is paying for the banking industry's greed, with no hope of ever being repaid, is disgusting. That the government is 'pausing' its attempt to regulate the banking industry at the banking industry's request is distrubing. That you do not agree with the EU Robinhood tax, is baffling. That you have made an agreement with Switzerland over Tax Havens that does not remove account secrecy and essentially legitimates tax avoidance is astounding (compare this with India's deal: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/industry-and-economy/banking/article2397144.ece?%20homepage=true. For more see: http://johnmcguirk.blogspot.com/2011/08/tax-havens-and-swiss-deal.html
In short, the government seems to have no metal in standing up to the unethical and self-serving nature of big business. So, perhaps it is time for the people to do so for themselves, through protests and civil disobedience, of the kind we saw last year, with occupations of shops who seemingly avoided their taxes.
I'm no expert, Stephen, but all of this boggles the mind. This is capitalism gone way out of control. I'm sure you feel you know more about the inner workings of politics, where compromise is important. But to voters, this just looks like daylight robbery.
And I see no other option but to protest this government's and your decision as aggressively as I legally can.
The liberal democrats have lost their heart in my view. You all would do better standing down and sharing power with Labour as a strong voice of disapproval of the current state of affairs.
Yours etc...
