I once read that during a General Election Campaign in the 1950'sthe then Labour Prime Minister Clement Atllee would visit Constituencies in a car driven by his wife stopping on verges for a picnic.
Times of course have changed the danger of terrorism means that senior politician need extensive protection and the murder of Jo Cox reminds us that even ordinary candidates are facing danger.
But does this mean that the likes of Theresa May does not met the public and her tours will be only photo shoots with Party members some of whom will not even be local but bussed in by the Party/
As Craig Murray points out a taxi driver was the only member of the public who managed to get anywhere near Theresa May on her much publicised “meet the people” election visit to Bolton on Tuesday
Mr Murray writes
I do not believe that Politicians should face being assaulted by members of the public , But surely they should actually face criticism and questioning ,
One thing about Mrs May is clear from Prime Ministers Questions is that she cannot face scrutiny and maybe that is why she wants to avoid a Leaders debate.
Vast sums of Tax payers money is being paid to protect Mrs May it should not be used to protect her from facing those who her polcies have harmed ,
Times of course have changed the danger of terrorism means that senior politician need extensive protection and the murder of Jo Cox reminds us that even ordinary candidates are facing danger.
But does this mean that the likes of Theresa May does not met the public and her tours will be only photo shoots with Party members some of whom will not even be local but bussed in by the Party/
As Craig Murray points out a taxi driver was the only member of the public who managed to get anywhere near Theresa May on her much publicised “meet the people” election visit to Bolton on Tuesday
Mr Murray writes
Visiting Bolton on Tuesday , May arrived by helicopter, was whisked through town in an armoured convoy, spoke to a tiny audience of vetted conservatives, refused to answer any questions, and was whisked out again. In a precise example of what we have to expect in the next six weeks the BBC reported she had been to “meet the people”, and then gave us a series of vox pops from Labour voters in Bolton who were switching to Conservative.
The media picture with which we are presented is not just a distortion, it is the polar opposite of the reality. It was not a “meet the people” visit, it was an “avoid the people” visit. With not even other members of the political establishment being allowed to question her in debate, this is an Uzbek style election in the UK
That May’s police escort see it as their job to prevent any expression of dissent says everything about the kind of Britain she is creating. It goes along with her failure, twice, to accept Angus Robertson’s invitation to distance herself from the Daily Mail’s “Crush the Saboteurs” headline.
Disciplinary action should be taken against the policeman for the harassment of that driver – who it should be noted had already been forced to halt and pull aside for a period of time to let May’s convoy pass, and had complied. That we have a police force who think you are not allowed to show dissent to the Prime Minister is deeply troubling.
I do not believe that Politicians should face being assaulted by members of the public , But surely they should actually face criticism and questioning ,
One thing about Mrs May is clear from Prime Ministers Questions is that she cannot face scrutiny and maybe that is why she wants to avoid a Leaders debate.
Vast sums of Tax payers money is being paid to protect Mrs May it should not be used to protect her from facing those who her polcies have harmed ,
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