Letter: Fawning MPs

Sir: Three cheers for Andrew Mackinley and his criticism of the whips' "pervasive control" of Labour MPs.

I have long wondered what possible use was served by those braying voices of Conservative Members of Parliament who used to compete to ask the most fatuous question of the day. I remember reading a copy of Hansard from the Second World War. Members were then asking real questions about real people and matters of public concern. And they received answers.

Michael Brown has explained in your paper how the present practice arose. Tony Blair was elected in the belief that he would change old and bad practices. As it is, I am reminded of the last chapter of Orwell's Animal Farm, when the animals watching outside could no longer differentiate between the visiting humans and the pigs.

ALAN FORGAN

Guildford, Surrey