Vacuum at the political apex: Letter

Sir: It is entirely appropriate that your leading article (3 May) which attacks Michael Howard's judicial abuses is adjacent to the Letters section, which includes comments about the lack of democracy in London and Mohamed al-Fayed's interest in wide-ranging constitutional reform. While the Independent's criticism of the Home Secretary is to be applauded, it should place his misdemeanours in the proper context. Calling the Government arrogant misses the point. The question all of us should be asking is, how can they keep getting away with it? The answer, as Mr Fayed has realised, is that there is nothing to prevent them.

Supporters of the monarchy argue that it does not matter that the head of state is unelected because he/she does not have any power. There is a political vacuum at the apex of our democracy. The only check on government power is the judiciary - itself a self-appointed clique - and supra-national bodies.

Wide-ranging constitutional reform, such as that outlined by Mr Fayed, needs to be implemented as soon as possible.

Andy White

Belfast