LETTERS: Cherie Blair and the poll tax defaulter
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Last week, our main front-page article reported that Cherie Blair, a barrister and the wife of the Labour leader Tony Blair, had acted in a series of cases for councils pursuing poll tax defaulters. In one case, she asked a judge to return a bail ed defaulter to jail. We also reported that she had given a conference paper on how to enforce the law, including the threat of prison, against defaulters. A leader explained our decision to publish the story.
In response, we received nearly 100 letters. A large majority of these said we were wrong to give the story such prominence. Below, we publish a selection.
CHERIE Blair's statement that she was "simply anxious" that a penniless poll tax defaulter should be made to pay up in cash or kind is, to say the least, a piece of understatement. What about the plaintiff's anxiety, indeed anguish, at finding himself with only £4 left to spend each week?
Ms Booth may not have ever suggested that "people who can't afford to pay or who are poverty-stricken should have action taken against them"; she did more, by ensuring that effective action was taken in this case.
She might now ponder the recent fate of another handsome couple across the Atlantic and the complications of attempts at "empowerment" by upwardly mobile barrister spouses of supposedly sensitive politicians.
Brian J Mallet Geneva, Switzerland
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments