Profoundly depressing - Your Letters - West Sussex County Times

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Profoundly depressing

Published on 04/04/2012 12:39

I NEVER thought I would see the day when I came to the defence of Horsham’s Conservative MP Francis Maude, but surely he cannot be held responsible for the wave of hysteria which is sweeping the country, just because he suggested it might be a good idea to keep a can of petrol in the garage.

It is unfortunate that a lady has managed to immolate herself, but, unless I have missed something, I do not recall Mr Maude recommending keeping a can of petrol in the kitchen and decanting it into a glass jug next to a burning gas hob.

In any case, this whole episode highlights a deeper malaise in this country. What Mr Maude did was make a suggestion. We are all at liberty to accept or reject his advice. It is called free will.

I find it profoundly depressing that we have all become so incapable of independent thought that we depend on the Government to tells us how to behave down to the smallest detail, then rush to blame the Government for our own mistakes.

HUGO MILLER

Curzon Avenue, Horsham

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