[Eric]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

How can this be so Eric...the politicians do not listen to the electorate.

Those things which have worried the electorate for a long time have not been addressed by any of the parties.(porous borders,the EU, foreign aid, the economy,the crisis in the NHS, the corrupt banking system, tax avoidance etc)
Have any of the representatives been knocking on my door.....No, they have not. We are expected to be placated by stage managed TV debates, which make the leader of the parties seem like celebrities, or X factor contestants.
I do not give a flying fig for the personality of those in the debate. It isn't a personality contest....what I really want to know is, has the person asking me to vote for their party got the cojones to take decisive action where action is needed?
Can they be relied upon to listen to the wishes of those who put them in to power?
Will they tackle the thorny issue of child abuse that seems to be at the heart of Westminster(even if it is historic _ there needs to be transparency).
Can I trust what I am being told...or are they all going to be like TB and take the patrician view that they know what is best?(and they will do that regardless of what the electorate think)

That's not what I meant ... you are talking about how politicians follow the wishes of those who electe them ... the statement "Parliament ... represents" doesn't seem to have much to do with that.