DAVE Goodwin writes (May 20) that he believes that being an MP should be a full-time job. I agree, providing they have the time to keep in touch with their constituencies. However, anyone who takes an interest in politics and Parliament would have noticed that being an MP has never been a full time job for an intelligent and efficient MP who keeps on top of their work. It is only people who have taken a job above their ability who cannot do their work in the time allocated. For as long as I can remember MPs have always had outside interests. Be they writing books or newspaper articles or appearing on entertainment programmes on radio and TV. Others, providing they are not ministers, often have interests in business. No bad thing if it keeps them in touch with reality and it does not interfere with their job as an MP. We all have outside interests unconnected with our work. The boundary commission for England has recently decided to decrease the size of constituencies in Devon and increase their number. I wrote to the commission saying that the number of constituencies should be decreased as MPs had difficulty keeping themselves fully employed. I suggested that the number of MPs in Parliament should be halved. I had a reply saying that it was a minority view. We are becoming overrun with politicians of one sort or another. What a pity others did not write to the commission. The tax payer has to pay them all and their perks and pensions. A retired MP can have a pension of £50,000 a year. How many of Devon?s tax payers earn that for full time work? J Reid Limehayes Road Okehampton
