Letters to the Editor – 14/04 – Let the people vote, Housing bank, Best of Twitter
Let the people vote
[Re: Let voters kick out MPs between elections and watch standards soar, Thursday]
The right to recall is a vital addition to Britain’s democratic toolkit. Some argue that it would mark the end of representative democracy – our MPs would become delegates, following the whim of public opinion. But who can say that the majority of MPs behave like national-spirited guardians of our historic liberties today? Their powers have been circumscribed by the EU, they are whipped into voting for what their parties wish, and the disconnect between MPs and public has never been wider. Let us kick them out when we want.
Sam Rutland
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Housing bank
[Re: How London can smash through the brick ceiling limiting housing supply, Wednesday]
Richard Blakeway’s figures about the reality of so-called landbanking are very good, but his Housing Bank solution is strange. Rather than an incentive for developers to build below market value houses, which will be stuck on their books for a decade, the deputy mayor should be pushing his other solutions. Housing Zones, if they can channel anything like the long-term success of the Docklands regeneration, sound like a good start. While innovation is good, it’s probably best that it’s left to the private sector.
Name withheld
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BEST OF TWITTER
China: 64 per cent of wealthiest people have left the country or are planning to, from 60 per cent in 2013.
@ianbremmer
IMF still sees Greece needing some help over the next two years, despite its return to markets.
@nr_zero
Brussels scuppers BoE’s lifeline for banks, rejecting UK pleas. So much for British influence in EU.
@RuthLeaEcon
William Hill says 52 per cent of bets on Scottish referendum have been for No, 48 per cent for Yes.
@MSmithsonPB