Boundary debate may be academic (From Wharfedale Observer)
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Boundary debate may be academic
9:27am Thursday 18th October 2012 in Local news
With the release of the Boundary Commission’s latest proposals, there is heated debate about the rights and wrongs of the plans.
While the areas included in some of the new constituencies do seem to sit comfortably together – with Otley being a case in point – others seem to present a strange anomaly. There are probably not many people in Horsforth who see their area as being part of Bradford, for instance.
Battle lines over any disputed constituencies need to be drawn up now before it is too late. But there is every chance the consultation exercise could end up being purely academic. With the Liberal Democrats withdrawing their support for the plans, it’s hard to see how they could ever be voted in during the current Parliament.
David Cameron has said there is a lot of water to flow under the bridge before the vote is held next year – and it is true some sort of political deal may yet be struck – but we do seem to be facing the prospect that the Boundary Commission’s report could end up being an expensive waste of time.
Otley’s MP Greg Mulholland said this week that the proposals don’t matter as they are simply not going to happen. It already appears he could well be right.
Welcome return
It is fantastic to see Fran Prenga home at last after his ordeal in a Greek prison.
His family are understandably delighted at his return and the Otley man is pleased too, although it will take time to readjust to life after spending five months in jail. But once life returns to normal for the Prengas, they will try to seek some answers, and rightly so.
How can it be possible for an innocent man to be incarcerated for so long in terrible conditions without ever appearing before a court? And how can it then take two weeks for him to be released after being found not guilty of any charges?
Those answers will be just the start, as there are many more questions to be asked.
Yes, Greece is a troubled country, but it is arguably the home of democracy, and until the authorities provide some answers, or offer an apology at the very least, then they should hang their heads in shame.
