WE in the UK may have a lot more to worry about than we know.

A free press is a watchdog on society and Governments.

The newspapers broke the MPs’ expenses scandal. To investigate such a thing properly one needs a free police service not wholly controlled by Government and minus any political influence. Whilst all journalists will agree that the ‘Hacking Scandal’ was wrong, sadly that allowed the Government to impose extra restrictions on the press. Were all newspapers guilty of wrongdoing?

Now a Home Secretary who, questionably, is doing everything possible to erode the morale of the British Police Service, has introduced a politically-appointed Chief Inspector of Constabulary and likewise Police Commissioners, then proposed supervisors with no previous police experience and, by leaning towards privatising many police duties, weakened the independence of a service, once the envy of the world.

A new investigation into MPs’ expenses suddenly discovers, if I understand correctly, that many records have ‘conveniently’ been destroyed. Can that now be investigated? Is the democracy of the UK being quietly suppressed? Or have I missed something?

CHRIS PAYNE
Turnpike Road, Bicester