Quangos must go (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Quangos must go

8:15am Wednesday 2nd September 2009 in Search By Telegraph & Argus

SIR – We are suffering from a severe democratic deficit in Bradford, and the problem is unelected quangos such as Yorkshire Forward.

In 1979, Margaret Thatcher came to power promising to get rid of quangos as they were undemocratic.

When she found that they were very difficult to rein in, she decided to make them in her own image instead.

New Labour carried on in the same fashion. They do not trust local democracy either, where locally elected people make decisions based on local need and choice.

Instead we have a perverse situation where fiascos such as the Westfield development and the Odeon replacement/refurbishment leave local citizens with no voice and no access to decision makers or their decision-making processes.

I feel that it is time to organise a mass demonstration, as that is the only way that our voice will be heard.

Ian Parsons, Alexandra Road, Eccleshill