POLITICS is a dance and when the new dancehall was opened at Holyrood it was only a matter of time that shoddy practices, similar to those that can be found metaphorically in the dark corners of Westminster, were replicated in Edinburgh. Just as you witness in your local disco the behaviour of those skulking in the shadows on the periphery may fail to meet the standards expected of the dancers illuminated by the glitter-ball.

It completely negates the basic democratic concept of elected representatives supposedly responding to the mood of their own electorate if those with the time and money to do so can exert undue influence on individual or groups of MSPs. The simple answer to the lobbying dilemma (“Row as ministers water down rule on lobbying”, The Herald, October 31) is to ban it completely. We all have a named MSP elected via the ballot-box. If we as individuals or members of an organisation have concerns on a specific subject then these should be addressed to that MSP with no priority of access given to groups or individuals with a vested interest. Our MSP can then pass genuine concerns further up the chain of command to ministers who should be listening to us voters via our MSPs, not paid advocates with special interests which may not be representative of public opinion.

There is no moral justification in a true democracy for paid lobbying and those with resources having greater access to or potential influence on the democratic process. It can rightly create public concern over the possible exploitation of the venal side of an MSP’s character. Bearing in mind its recently adopted mantle as the party of the people, I find it difficult to reconcile the SNP’s reported stance on professional lobbying with abandoning this basic democratic principle.

David J Crawford,

Flat 3/3 131 Shuna Street, Glasgow.