Our democracy is not entirely safe (From Gazette Series)

SIR - Was I the only reader who noticed the synergy between the letters in last week's Gazette from the pro-hunting lobby and the letter from Martin Whiteside, the Green Party's Parliamentary candidate?

The pro hunting lobby spoke eloquently about the particular reasons why hunting should not be banned.

Mr Whiteside's letter spoke with concern about the proposed "Civil Contingencies Bill" and the sweeping powers it will give the state, such powers may include cutting off phones, closing websites, banning demonstrations and censoring news media. He then goes on to say, and I quote "at a stroke, democracy could be replaced by totalitarianism".

The hunting debate is completely polarised and the emotions expressed by the anti-hunt lobby completely overlook the wider issues at stake here.

The dictionary term for democracy is- "form of society ignoring hereditary class distinctions and tolerating minority views".

The hunting ban is the first step on the way to a totalitarian state and, without being alarmist, could ultimately end in the death of our democracy.

Am I a cynic to feel that the hunting debate in Parliament last Wednesday, which completely dominated all news media coverage, took place on the day the report into the building of the Scottish Houses of Parliament was published? This report blamed no one for the fact that a project that was meant to cost some £40 million has ended up costing us the taxpayer £400 million. How very convenient for this government!

Think how many cancer patients and old age pensioners could have benefited from that money.

Remember this government are masters of "spin"

How ironic, when two letters on completely different subjects can have such a common thread running through them.

Wake up! It's your democracy, remember what happened in Germany in 1933.

T N Scott, Ham