Neither political donations nor special interest groups should dictate policy | Letters

Readers respond to George Monbiot’s article on Andy Burnham and political donationsGeorge Monbiot condemns Andy Burnham for his alleged subservience to the interests of the wealthy (Andy Burnham has already made a mistake that will cost him his premiership: he lost his nerve over political donations, 2 September). If true, I agree. But the same could be said of any interest holding sway in our politics. Lobbying groups, activists, unions, thinktanks, people who obsess about this, that or the other. It is surely not OK for our democracy – at local or national level – to have its priorities dictated by those with the shrillest voices, as well as those with the deepest pockets.Speaking from Scotland, I think that our public realm is a case in point. It seems special interest groups are, to all intents and purposes, the main driver of government policy now. And all too often, said influence is framed by an ideological mission that does not necessarily align with that boring, broad swathe of folks who don’t follow politics closely, and don’t see government as a means to progress personal hobbyhorses or single-issue causes. Continue reading...