A proportionate response

We still don't know everything we need to about the Police investigation into Conservative MP Damian Green, who was arrested last week. I'm not in the business of commenting when I don't know the full facts, though the police behaviour at this stage seems a little heavy handed.

What I do want to comment on are the quite disgraceful outbursts that have appeared from both some MPs and in the letters pages of our newspapers and even on the putneysw15 website, equating the Police conduct with "the Stasi", or "Nazi Germany" or "the KGB".

These comments, aside from being absurd the moment you give them a moment's thought, also diminish the horrifying experience of those who actually lived through that sort of tyranny.

There is no comparison between Police pursuing a complaint of possible criminal activity against an MP - who, let's remember, is not above the law - and the brutality, torture, murder and reign of terror those organisations imposed upon their countries.

We are getting to the stage in this country where people appear to believe that making the most ridiculous, inappropriate and shocking observations are the only way to grab the public's attention. Whether or not that's true, it doesn't make their comments any more accurate, honourable or respectable.