RECENT letters to this page have questioned the validity of voting. Could it be that democracy is not working? Are we living the nightmare of Orwell’s 1984 with CCTV everywhere and changes to data protection which will intrude upon us?

It could be argued that 1984 started in 1974 when those in power were so shocked when ‘the great unwashed’ brought down the Heath administration, they had to take more control.

It could be argued that living in a democracy is the biggest confidence trick since Caesar landed in England in 55BC and allegedly stated ‘we’re not here to invade, we’re here for a holiday.., where are the sunbeds’?

Another deception is one where politicians lead us to believe that Scotland and Wales want independence, when what they really want is limited independence with powers to extend their bureaucracies.

So is there a ‘plan’ just like in the recent film The Adjustment Bureau where angels control our lives for the greater good, or are governments now controlled by a greater plan where the financial markets have the real control of our destinies and governments and politicians are also suffering from Orwell’s syndrome?

Rob Hatherall, Spring Grove, Cwmbran