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Letter of the month wins Nigel Lawson’s newly updated MemoirsofaToryRadical

Real world experience While your article Are MPsAge-Limited?(TP, Oct) made interesting reading, it failed to discuss the real issue – the increasingly narrow life experience of many of our MPs.

(TP, Oct) made

MPs don’t just determine the laws that are made, but also the quality of decision-making as a process. If our MPs are able to draw upon a wealth of real life experience then the quality of our governance is the better for it.

In recent years there has been a trend for our MPs to be drawn from a very narrow group who have only ever worked in politics, as special advisers or in some similar capacity, as lobbyists or political journalists for example. These people have very little understanding of what it’s like to control a class of unruly teenagers, run a small business, deal with personnel management issues or directly tackle any one of the thousands of other issues that the rest of us in the real world deal with in our ordinary everyday lives.

People from such backgrounds are less likely to be independentminded because they’ve been cocooned in and dependent upon the world of politics for their life and income. That’s dangerous for the public who expect their MPs to challenge the executive and to actually think for themselves. John Reardon Carlisle

Lights, camera, action Despite protestations, the abolition of the UK Film Council will actually create a vital opportunity for a more direct relationship between the British Film Institute and the government. This change is both welcome and necessary for the continuing success of the film industry in the UK.

direct relationship between the British Film Institute and the government. This change is both welcome and necessary for the continuing success of the film industry in the UK. We should remember that British films such as BillyElliot, Notting Hilland TheFullMontyhad huge commercial and cultural success prior to the inception of this quango, and at a time of financial difficulty, it is vital that taxpayers’ money is directed where it will be most useful.

Most importantly, we must maintain and extend avenues for film investment in the UK. The Film Tax Relief programme in particular has raised more than £100m for the sector since its introduction in 2007. With firm governmental support for tax-efficient investment vehicles, the UK film industry will continue to go from strength to strength. Richard Harrington MP Vice-chair, All-party parliamentary film industry group

Leaving a legacy The 2012 Games presents the biggest opportunity we will ever have to inspire a generation into sport, and it has never been more important. More young people are obese than ever before, and it will get worse if our lifestyles remain sedentary. Communities are changing, but sport can bind us together. It also boosts education and reduces anti-social behaviour. A 2012 legacy of increased participation would spread these benefits further than we have ever seen.

It needs funding, with central co-ordination but community ownership, and we must never

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forget that – however entertaining the games will be – they will slip into memory if we fail on legacy. I will be pressing the government to deliver on these commitments. Lord Pendry of Stalybridge and Hyde Chair, All-party parliamentary sport group

Move on up Theresa Villiers is right (TP, Oct), carrying on investing in transport links between and within UK cities will be critical to creating private sector jobs

Caption competition

Total Politics is giving one lucky reader the chance to win a pair of tickets to see the play Onassis the Novello Theatre. Tickets are valid for Monday – Friday performances until 17/12/2010.

the play Onassis at the Novello Theatre. Tickets are valid for Monday – Friday performances until 17/12/2010. Chosen dates are subject to availability.

How to enter Simply email your caption to competition@totalpolitics. com with your name and address before 8/11/2010.

Entries submitted after the closing date will not count.

Last month’s winner “Short of dough? So will your parents when David and I have cut their child benefit” Nigel Galloway

A pair of tickets for Bloodand Gifts at the National Theatre are on their way to you.