The will of the people

Madam, - Vincent Browne's piece regarding the concept of "democracy" as peddled by Government, and its perception by the populace…

Madam, - Vincent Browne's piece regarding the concept of "democracy" as peddled by Government, and its perception by the populace, was as incisive and pertinent a piece of journalistic analysis as I've had the pleasure of reading of late (Opinion, June 22nd).

Mr Browne referred to the clever manipulation and distortion of facts "spun" by the powers that be to convince the population that, on a given matter, the converse of what is actually the case is, in fact, the reality. This idea of "democracy" was perhaps best exemplified in this country in recent years by the breathtaking effrontery displayed by the current Government in relation to the Nice Treaty and its displeasure at the "No" vote returned by the electorate in the first instance.

Government leaders simply rejected the voice of the people and even had the temerity, when putting the same treaty forward for ratification a second time, to put a spin on this to the effect that they were giving the nation a second chance to give vent to their "democratic" voice, and that this second "bite of the cherry" was somehow to their collective advantage! - Yours, etc,

DAVID MARLBOROUGH, Kenilworth Park, Dublin 6W.