MacShane’s shame is that he did not resign his post earlier

DENIS MacShane’s shame has 
to be that much greater 
because he chose not to 
resign earlier over his expenses scandal (Yorkshire Post, November 3) – the deception being maintained over several, 
long years.

Only after it being proven to him that he cheated did he eventually resign and “accept the consequences of being in breach of the House rules”.

No mention of society’s rules then, such as morality and decency.

It’s said that he made no personal profit from the scams. How so? How could he not benefit from receiving monies he was not entitled to, rather than using his own?

He should have done the decent thing by resigning when in 2010 the police commenced an investigation.

He knew long before then that he had cheated and wronged the taxpayers, his profession, his constituents and the electorate in general.

Regrettably, no doubt his 
initial discomfort will soon be alleviated by the inordinate financial benefits endowed 
upon MPs after politics, to 
say nothing of being able to 
hide behind Parliamentary privilege.

From: Dr David Hill, chief executive, World Innovation Foundation, Huddersfield.

Political democracy and the trust of the people in our political classes are constantly taking a battering. Indeed, the people are losing complete confidence in our politicians as they constantly take illegally from the public purse.

Years ago when I was young, we used to think that things like this could only happen in a banana republic, for we were told that by our politicians, but now the people are seeing that it 
happens unabated in their own back yard.

The Denis MacShane exposé is another fine example here and where he was seen before this unlawful event as whiter than white within the public eye. Therefore if the perceived public opinion is shattered in a man whom they thought could be trusted, their trust again in our political classes is undermined further.

For as it seems that politicians of all political colours can act in deceptive ways if they want to and that they have learned nothing from the expenses scandal, it is time that a “totally” independent body, and I mean a totally independent body, outside the Establishment was set up to stop all this happening.

Time for great political change, I feel, or voters will simply just not turn out to vote.

From: Martin Fletcher, Savile Close, Emley.

HAVE you noticed the number of MPs in Labour’s heartlands who have bitten the dust, Denis MacShane included? My father and grandfather voted Labour so we vote Labour. Why?

From: Terry Duncan, Greame Road, Bridlington.

WHENCE democracy? For years, the likes of me have voted for our local MP.

What’s the point when we are all ignored?