Letters to the press - The Observer

FB supports the Gang of Four and the new Social Democratic Party

The Observer, 5 Apr 1981

Doc. No. 1981.022 OBS001L

I support the Social Democratic Party for one basic reason.

We voters sit back and require our politicians to produce all the answers. We have been taught to do so by the writings of political commentators. But these are the false decretals of democracy. Our induced attitude is the reverse of democratic. Democracy is government by the people. We have no right to require competing politicians to woo us with the promise that their party has all the answers. We have to provide the answers ourselves.

The SDP has hit on the truth. Policy is to be made by every member of the party. When the party is elected to power, policy will in effect be made by every elector. And it is the electors, not only the politicians, who will bear the responsibility if the policy fails. Let us stop shuffling off our responsibility on others. A nation gets the Government it deserves.

Letter from FB published in The Observer on 5 Apr 1981