Letter: Shropshire Star

Minister ignoring public over police plan

Just who does Charles Clarke think he is?

In a written statement to the Commons, the Home Secretary announced that there is “only one acceptable option” for England’s police forces and that is for them to combine into regional forces.

To justify the merger he mentions terrorism and organised crime.

Apparently, West Mercia Police isn’t capable of preventing terrorism unless it’s merged with all the other police forces in the West Midlands Euro-region.

Funny that, I don’t recall any terrorist attacks in Shropshire since the IRA bombed Shrewsbury Castle 14 years ago.

I’d say West Mercia were doing a pretty good job on that front, certainly better than the Met.

West Mercia Police conducted surveys when the mergers were announced a few months ago.

More than 90 per cent of those that responded were opposed to a regional police force.

How dare Charles Clarke, a public servant, disregard the clear wishes of the public.

The Chief Constable has hit the nail on the head when he says that this is merely an extension of the British Government’s regional agenda.

It won’t be long before every aspect of out lives is controlled by unelected bureaucrats in Birmingham.

It’s time our elected representatives received a stark reminder that they are in office to serve us, not their own interests and definitely not the whims of the EU which dictated the English regions in the first place.

Local elections are being held in England on May 4 — hopefully it won’t be too late by then.

Stuart Parr, Telford