Appalled rather than surprised by Mr. Freer’s wholly understandable reasons for standing down, I admire him and many another Parliamentarian for continuing to maintain their remarkably open accessibility to their constituents, whether of her/his party political persuasion and convictions or not.
Doing so is brave and merits and merits recognition. Some citizens of my acquaintance declare that the “answer” is easy- just abandon all vestiges of an “open house” policy. When they make such observations in my hearing and presence, however many nodding heads there may be, I make it plain - I hope politely- that I could scarcely agree less. Availability face to face as well as remotely must always remain the name of the government. I have witnessed a number of Parliaments across party divides being abused roundly with scarcely veiled threats for positions they have adopted; even when I have held opposing views to theirs I have much admired their principled stances in the face of that. This is what any true democracy is about since it is that which distinguishes us from those focused on their own factional and blinkered “beliefs.”
Appalled rather than surprised by Mr. Freer’s wholly understandable reasons for standing down, I admire him and many another Parliamentarian for continuing to maintain their remarkably open accessibility to their constituents, whether of her/his party political persuasion and convictions or not.
Doing so is brave and merits and merits recognition. Some citizens of my acquaintance declare that the “answer” is easy- just abandon all vestiges of an “open house” policy. When they make such observations in my hearing and presence, however many nodding heads there may be, I make it plain - I hope politely- that I could scarcely agree less. Availability face to face as well as remotely must always remain the name of the government. I have witnessed a number of Parliaments across party divides being abused roundly with scarcely veiled threats for positions they have adopted; even when I have held opposing views to theirs I have much admired their principled stances in the face of that. This is what any true democracy is about since it is that which distinguishes us from those focused on their own factional and blinkered “beliefs.”