IN A BIZARRE scene more reminiscent of the smoke-filled political back rooms of the 1930s than of the supposedly transparent 21st century, the establishment of the Conservative Party has once again manoeuvred and manipulated to foist its choice of Theresa May on the UK as the country’s next Prime Minister – without any reference whatsoever to the electorate.

This is in spite of Mrs May having been on the losing Remain side in last month’s EU Referendum.

How is this at all democratic?

Despite manifold scare stories of an SNP tail wagging a Labour dog; election spending currently under police investigation; gerrymandering of electoral boundaries and not least a defunct and dysfunctional first-past-the-post electoral system, the Conservatives still only managed to garner 36 per cent of the poll in last year’s general election, compared to the 52 per cent of the electorate who voted for Leave in last month’s Referendum.

An analysis of Mrs May’s actual voting record, cross referencing it with her most recent utterances on being anointed with the Tory crown, shows quite clearly that you cannot believe a single word that this woman says.

Far from being the protector of ordinary people and the less privileged in society, as she now seeks to position herself, this is a person whose record clearly demonstrates that she voted against building 100,000 affordable homes and against curbing soaring energy costs as recently as 2013.

Moreover, she voted against funding more jobs for young people and against a curb on bankers’ bonuses; she voted in favour of increasing VAT and in favour of placing the costs of letting property squarely on the shoulders of tenants rather than of landlords; and as recently as just three months ago in April of this year she voted against proposals designed to give additional powers to regulatory authorities with which to combat abusive tax avoidance and evasion by large corporations and wealthy individuals.

All of this hardly concurs with Mrs May’s recent apparently Pauline conversion and self appointment as a latter day Tribune of the People.

Enough of the smoke and mirrors.

Labour, the Lib Dems, the Greens and the SNP have now joined with Ukip in calling for a general election.

Surely this call must be heeded, and a quorum of MPs from all parties must vote for it if public confidence in our democracy is to be maintained?

Richard Ford

Ukip Gloucestershire