Oh sending a letter will do it

The latest outrage in Zimbabwe is the sending of an Opposition MP to jail for a year’s hard labour for pushing a Minister during a debate.

It is tempting to suggest Winston should have got the same for allegedly doing the same to John Banks, but I’ll resist.

The Opposition MP’s family were also evicted from their land in April, and also many of his employees have been killed, raped or shot. Despite six court orders, the land had not been returned.

So what is our Government doing to protest? Oh sending a letter of complaint. Wow that will really have an effect and have Mugabe trembling.

Shouldn’t we be leading the charge for sanctions against Zimbabwe? Sporting, trade, cultural the whole lot. And expel them from the Commonwealth. And make them ineligible for the UN Security Council as Israel is. And halt all foreign aid and development.

Let’s face it the gentle persuasion approach is no more effective with Mugabe than it was with South Africa.