David Laws shown up by the decency of Rachel Gould and Clarissa Bergonzi of Brighton

There is an excellent letter regarding David Laws in today’s Guardian from two Brighton residents, Rachel Gould and Clarissa Bergonzi. It reflects a difference in standards between two decent ordinary young women and the arrogance of Laws:

“We feel we must write in protest at the confusion of David Laws’s expense claims from the taxpayer with his sexuality.  We are a lesbian couple, each with a birth child, living together as a family.  When the Civil Partnership Act came in in December 2005, we informed  the tax credit  office, although this left us in quit straightened financial circumstances, with an adolescent and a young baby.  The reason we did this was because we wanted to remain within the law.  We also welcomed the acknowledgment of our family.”

“Others may suggest that David Laws’s decision not to be open about his sexuality is pathetic in the 21st century and does not bode ell for this government’s approach to minority groups.  About this we would not comment.  However, all David Laws needed to do was not claim £40,000 of public money.  If this were benefit fraud, he would be looking at a prison sentence. It is not of his sexuality that David Laws should be ashamed”.

I wonder if Rachel and Clarissa may also disagree with David Laws on cuts to essential services that we are likely to see over the coming months and years.  David Laws, after his short period in government, should also be ashamed of what he has put in train.