The Channel 4 programme Dispatches last week provided a very interesting insight into how lobbying groups, some representing foreign interests, even governments, influence our foreign policy by bankrolling politicians, obviously with strings attached.

Ever since the illegal invasion of Iraq, I have long thought that our Government,with the support of the opposition, has clearly made choices contrary to the wishes, benefit and approval of the British public at large.

In the programme, David Cameron was reported to have said before a Conservative Friends of Israel meeting that “Israel strives to protect innocent lives”.

Presumably this refers to the same Israel that embarked on a genocidal attack (as defined by the United Nations) on the Gaza Strip in January; and the same Israel that used white phosphorus on densely populated civilian areas; the same Israel that killed over 1,400 people – the majority of them civilians and a high proportion of whom were women and children.

It is also the same Israel that has been heavily criticised in the UN commissioned Goldstone Report, which detailed numerous atrocities, and came to the conclusion that “Israel intentionally targeted Gaza’s civilian sites”.

Furthermore, a little research reveals that Israel planned as early as October 2008 to use disproportionate force. So how, exactly, does Mr Cameron translate these facts into Israel striving to protect innocent lives?

Clearly there is something amiss in British politics.

Statements are being made, and actions taken, which do not correspond with the facts or the truth, for the benefit of lobby groups in order to gain financial incentives. This is actually a far worse scandal than the expenses episode.

Dispatches mentioned that over 80 per cent of Conservatives are in allegiance with the Friends of Israel. I believe similar infiltration also applies to Labour and the Lib Dems, and I wonder why so many are interested in being friends to a state that practises discrimination, ignores UN resolutions and illegally occupies most of Palestine.

British politics needs an urgent overhaul, and the solution can only be made by financing all political parties from the public purse and making it illegal for any donations or incentives being offered by any individual or lobbying group.

Only until then can we be sure that politicians look after the electorate’s interests rather their own or those of fringe groups.

R Lee, Burford Road, Witney