Victoria Temple (Citizen 6/12/03) is right to question the governments "Big Conversation." Let us hope that this is not the government once again paying lip-service to the public's concerns, as it did with the GM Nation debate. Labour has shown that it is simply not been prepared to listen to clear public opposition to issues such as the war in Iraq, tuition fees, foundation hospitals, fox-hunting, and the privatisation of the railways [1, 2]. Now we can look forward to public opinion on top-up fees being dismissed as well.

Let us hope Peter Hain on Monday night in Stonehouse really listens not just to Labour Party faithful but to all voters. If not this "Big Conversation" will only be seen as yet another Big Spin.

Yours, Toby Green, Gloucestershire Green Party.
Notes to editor:
1. 62% of people said they would support the government bringing in a ban on fox-hunting that year regardless of the upcoming March 2002 vote in the House of Lords (MORI: Poll Shows Public Support for Ban on Hunting, March 2002).
2. 70% of people supported stronger public control of the railways (MORI: People Willing To Pay To Improve Transport, Says Major CfIT Survey, 18 July 2001