Letter: Seeking justice over sleaze

Every man is innocent until proved guilty and "the natural course of justice" required Sir Gordon Downey to complete his enquiry before there could be any comment, said John Major on Frost on Sunday. Even Mr Major must realise that justice is man-made.

Sir Gordon reports in secret to the Committee on Standards and Privilege where the Tories are in the majority. Sir Gordon has no powers to ensure a proper hearing. His activities have nothing to do with natural justice. A fair and unbiased trial in public before an impartial judge was exactly what Neil Hamilton could not afford.

I cannot accuse men of the calibre of Scott, Nolan and Downey of conducting kangaroo enquiries. It is the kangaroo government which loses their reports in its capacious pouch along with all the sleaze, secret funds and lies.

Parliamentary privilege was established in the 17th century to protect democracy from an absolute monarchy. British democracy must now be protected from its legislators. They cannot be allowed to get away with acts which would send a councillor to prison.

H D Edmunds

Monmouth