End this new and callour procedure

Dear Sir,

I still remember vividly the night in 1979 when James Callaghan's Government fell on a vote of no confidence by a majority of just one.

On that crucial night sick M.P.s had to be brought to the House of Commons by car and ambulance and as long as the sick M.P. had reached the courtyard of the House of Commons, they were deemed to have voted.

That has been the accepted long standing practice for recording votes of sick and ill M.P.s for all the decades ever since - until this week.

This week a senior Conservative changed the rules and required sick and ill M.P.s to actually vote through the lobby including one Labour M.P. on morphine.

The Conservatives should by adopting such nasty tactics be wary of where the consequences could lead in case the Labour Party decides to follow their shameful example. When Nick Boles, the Conservative backbencher was recovering from cancer, he was allowed to remain in his car in the Commons and to register his vote because it was deemed he was susceptible to infection.

The Prime Minister should end this new callous procedure before a M.P's health is very adversely affected by this iniquitous change in procedure.

The Prime Minister should also ensure that her party clearly understands that there are standards of decency required and therefore should make an example of the senior Conservative responsible for this callous change in procedure and sack him or her forthwith.

Yours faithfully,

Robert Douglas,

2 Hollycroft,

Congleton CW12 4SH