Commendation

I commend Kevin Hollinrake for voting against the instructions of his party in last Thursday’s debate about Owen Paterson’s possible suspension from Parliament. It takes courage and a cool head to defy the whipping system which employs unpleasant and outdated practices to bend members to its will. Elsewhere but at Westminster it would be termed ‘bullying’.

Murray Naylor Huttons Ambo

Brave move

I agree with last week’s correspondent, Judith Scott, that Anne Macintosh, the most effective MP we have had in this constituency in my (long) lifetime, is much missed. However, credit where credit is due. On Wednesday October 3, Kevin Hollinrake, in a whipped vote in the House of Commons, was brave enough, with 12 other Tory MPs, to vote against the Government on a matter of principle. Boris Johnson was attempting to railroad through Parliament a dodgy means of letting off the hook a senior Tory MP who had broken the rules about lobbying for money to a very significant tune – £100,000 pa. Mr Hollinrake wasn’t prepared to support this. And the attempt failed.

Lucy Warrack Rievaulx

Political courage

I agree with readers’ recent criticism of Mr Hollinrake’s vote against proposals to make water companies reduce raw sewage discharges into rivers. He is, however, to be commended for defying the Government whip and voting against their disgraceful motion to defer Owen Paterson’s suspension and tear up agreed Parliamentary procedures.Although many Tories abstained from the vote, only 12 actually voted against the motion. As a junior minister, that takes political courage which we should acknowledge and welcome.

Michael Gwilliam Norton