'Will the 'genial election' be all happy families? I doubt it'

I liked the composite photo of the York Central general election candidates on the front page and page 5 of the Press on June 27.

This ‘togetherness’ gave one a big happy family impression.

I got a warm, cosy feeling - until I remembered that in reality such wall-to-wall smiles and across-the-board pleasantness and mutuality can only exist in idyllic villages such as Greendale, Trumpton and Camberwick Green.

In these places they only ever vote in ‘Genial Elections’.

Derek Reed, Middlethorpe Drive, York

Appointed judges

Like many people, especially perhaps Dr Scott Marmion (‘Unelected judges, Letters, July 1), I have opinions on many subjects.

Neither Dr Marmion nor I hold public office, elected or appointed. Judges, however, are appointed by the sovereign to determine important matters on behalf of all of us according to law.

Dr Marmion dismisses them airily as ‘so-called justices’ who decided ‘that energy policy is now for them and them alone to decide’.

If this is indeed what the Supreme Court Justices decided, they will have done so most improperly. They are sworn to decide cases according to the law, regardless of their own views.

They may make decisions with political implications which he may dislike, but that is very different from making political decisions.

Has he, I wonder, read the judgment, which runs to 46,625 words? No, neither have I, but it will have been very carefully argued (on both sides) by experienced counsel and considered with very close attention by the justices themselves.

The decision was by a majority one of 3 to 2 in the Supreme Court, of 2 to 1 the other way in the Court of Appeal, and the judicial review at first instance was equally in favour of Surrey County Council - an indication of how finely balanced were the legal arguments on both sides.

Doctor Marmion may wish our public authorities to be judges in their own cause, but it would truly be a negation of the rule of law. A cursory glance across the Atlantic is enough to suggest where that might lead.

Tony Lawton, Skelton