BEFORE the election I wrote to Jesse Norman to wish him the best of luck and afterwards congratulated him on retaining his seat.

I am not a Conservative supporter, as regular readers will have deduced. Nor do I live in the Hereford and South Herefordshire constituency.

I do, however, believe that Jesse has been an outstanding Member of Parliament and always acted in the best interests of his constituents. When we disagreed, it was always possible to have a cordial exchange of views.

During my career I met many politicians, including a number of secretaries of state, junior ministers, a sitting prime minister and a future prime minister. None has ever, or so it seemed to me, been in politics for self-enrichment or aggrandisement.

We may have differed on the means but the overwhelming majority were striving to improve the lot of their constituents or of the country more widely.

It should be possible to agree to disagree in an amiable manner. One of my best friends was a Brexiteer but we still managed to remain close.

Indeed, my understanding of the issues was greatly enhanced through our discussions in the debating chamber of the Barrels in Hereford.

The tendency for many to gain news and analysis from social media which,through algorithms, reinforce views rather than providing counter-arguments has resulted in an increased tribalism, intolerance of opposing ideas and antipathy towards those who voice them. 

There has been a welcome reduction in the level of animosity shown in debate by opposing parties and I hope this continues.

It was good to see Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak engaged in amiable conversation when walking from the Commons chamber to the Lords on the day of the King’s Speech.

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Letters should not exceed 250 words and local issues take precedence.

This was in marked contrast to the ‘froideur’ apparent between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn when they were in the same position.

I am not opposed to holding strong views and expressing them robustly but the ability to respect the other side of an argument should be paramount.

JONATHAN GODFREY

HEREFORDSHIRE EDUCATIONALIST