An attack against democracy

Even if it had not happened in the Christmas trough, the assassination of Benazir Bhutto would have dominated the news – as indeed it is doing now. Amongst the reports is the reaction from political leaders throughout the world.

One such is José Manuel Barroso, EU commission president, who condemns this "callous terrorist attack" perpetrated less than two weeks ahead of election day in the strongest terms. He adds: "This is an attack against democracy and against Pakistan."

Also adding his comments was our prime minister, Gordon Brown, who calls the assassination, "a sad day for democracy …".

One remains sympathetic to Benazir Bhutto - who, whatever her faults, never lacked courage - and the Pakistani peoples, but one cannot avoid also expressing a wish that these two gentlemen, who speak so freely of "democracy" had a look in their own back yards.

Barroso is the man who fronts the unelected EU commission that forms part of our anti-democratic supreme government, and Mr Brown is refusing us a referendum on a treaty which hands greater powers to that commission, despite having promised us one in his party's election manifesto.

What know these men of democracy?

COMMENT THREAD