Letter: Fayed's populism strikes a chord

Sir: Andrew Brown's sneering article ("A simple guide to saving the nation", 1 May) about Mohamed al-Fayed's alleged desire to set up a political party does the Independent little credit. Mr Fayed's platform may well be populist, but it coincides with the wishes of large numbers of the population in seeking a Bill of Rights, a Freedom of Information Act, Abolition of the House of Lords, an elected second chamber, devolution for Scotland and Wales, and renationalisation of the utilities.

I am sure that Andrew Brown's allegation that Mr Fayed will soon "realise the entire establishment is ganging up on you" is meant to be ironical. Sad to say, it is also probably true. What is equally true is Mr Fayed's alleged discovery of a "society where the Government can roll over people and situations where they can conceal and distort the truth".

Perhaps if the three main parties made a similar commitment to a set of principles that might at last see this country begin to become a democracy they might command some of the respect that they have clearly lost in the past decade or so.

Dr Roger Iredale

Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire