Letters to the Editor | 25 November 2006

Calling time on legislation

From Christopher W. Robson

Sir: In your leading article ‘To govern is not to legislate’ (18 November), you quote the late Ralph Harris as arguing that there should be a department for repealing laws. May I suggest that the creation of new laws has now reached a pitch where it would be wise to introduce a rule that all legislation should automatically lapse after a prescribed period unless an express resolution by Parliament calls for its continuance?

Only in this way can the vast volume of legislation be controlled and the very important thrust of your article be delivered. Remember â” Ignorantia juris neminem excusat. Too much legislation makes a mockery of the citizen’s duty to know it all.

Christopher W. Robson
Richmond, North Yorkshire

Vote Ukip to leave the EU

From Robert McWhirter

Sir: Matthew Parris (Another voice, 18 November) quotes Yeats: ‘The worst [in politics] are full of passionate intensity’. He then goes on to imply that that refers to Ukip, whereas the Lib Dems, by contrast, are ‘moderate’. It was Lord Jenkins who once said [of the EU] that ‘You can’t be half pregnant. You must be either totally in, or totally out.’

Far from being ‘the worst’, therefore, Ukip is one of only two mainstream parties facing up to political reality. Further, we espouse low taxation, once core Tory doctrine. We will decline to stand against currently serving Better Off Out MPs (of whatever party). We have the only workable solution to sorting out the mess our fishermen are in, and regaining control of our borders â” repealing the Treaty of Rome.

The British public has, post-Maastricht, consistently shown a majority in favour of leaving the EU; the three main parties â” LibLabCon â” refuse to grant them any such thing.