We do have a largely free Press; what we don't have is a fair Press

In the UK there is only limited press regulation, so we do have a largely free Press.

What we don't have is a fair Press, and this is much more serious.

The bulk of national daily newspapers are well to the political right – the Telegraph, Times, Mail, Express, Sun and Star – in some cases quite far right.

Only the Mirror and Guardian are left of centre, with the Independent probably being the only one anywhere near what its name suggests.

These papers are largely run by rich individuals, whose agenda bears no obvious relationship to that of the bulk of people in the UK.

People have no easy access to unbiased information. It may be available on the internet, but you have no way of vetting the accuracy of anything there.

The lack of unbiased information means that in any election people have to make decisions without knowing what is true, and what is spin or downright lies.

For this reason I feel that democracy in the UK, while not dead, is very sick.

I would rather have a state-controlled Press printing the truth, than the misinformation, half truths and untruths the national press give us.

Mind you, I can't think of anywhere where a state-controlled Press prints the truth...

Peter Holmes

Malvern Wells