Mhairi Black, Britain’s youngest MP, says she may stand down at the next general election because, in Westminster, so little gets done (Report, 13 March). It is old and defunct in terms of its systems and procedures – much of the time, it is just a waste of time. Surely Mhairi is just the kind of person who should stand for a second term. She has now had two years to size up the place and its modus operandi. She has youth, intelligence, vision and the strength of character and personality to help drag Westminster into the 21st century. “Nil carborundum...” The frustrations of an ever-widening section of our population with parliament are exactly mirrored in Mhairi’s feelings. Nothing will change in Westminster until people like Mhairi make it impossible for the status quo to continue. When the going gets tough, Mhairi, the tough get going.
Doug Clark
Currie, Midlothian
• Mhairi Black says parliament is “depressing, defunct and a waste of time”. While the institution itself may be sclerotic, perhaps members can become more dynamic by becoming self-employed. The government contends that the self-employed are an entrepreneurial, creative workforce willing to take risks. So the lack of pension, sick and holiday pay shouldn’t be a problem, nor should flexible working and long hours, nor, for such risk-takers, should deselection or losing their seat. The revolving door often negates that worry.
Would our self-employed MPs think for themselves, scrutinise bills and hold the legislature to account? With first past the post and the next election on the horizon, no. Mhairi Black’s opinions at a time of constitutional, economic and societal upheaval are a stark reminder of how flawed our democratic system is and how desperately it needs reform.
Rosamund Aubrey
St Ishmaels, Pembrokeshire
• Mhairi Black hits the nail firmly on the head. Westminster is stuffy, old-fashioned and out of date. It’s in the wrong place. It should be in the centre if the country. It often sounds more like a farmyard than something that holds the welfare of our population in the palm of its hand. Perhaps it could look itself in the mirror and see it has grown old and dusty and needs a new home more suited to the 20th century. It would make a wonderful museum for the world to understand an important part of the history of government. Modern up. Perhaps Mhairi Black could make it happen.
Judy Liebert
Nottingham
• Mhairi Black’s possible departure from Westminster would be a significant blow to the cause of parliamentary reform. Some £7bn is about to be spent renovating the quasi-gothic grandmother of parliaments instead of grasping a rare opportunity to rent it out to Madame Tussauds as a tourist attraction and replace the crumbling pile with a more centrally situated and efficient democratic forum. The current TV series bringing the absurd pantomime of the House of Lords to our screens could not illustrate more clearly the need for fundamental reform. Please stick with it, Mhairi!
Les Farris
South Petherton, Somerset
• The more I read about Mhairi Black, the more I admire and like her. Everything she says and complains about in the House of commons, unfortunately, rings true, and has done for years. I do hope she feels able to serve another term after all. The only problem I have is, how do I pronounce Mhairi? As a rather ancient and dozy follower, I want to be able to sing her praises without making a complete idiot of myself.
Lizzie Hill
Guildford, Surrey
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