Hi Nick
I am a regular (ish) TT and former MGP competitor, I think you are right in that there is NO riders rep that I am aware of at the MGP, personally I think that the reason for this is that at the MGP the MMCC are that bit more user friendly than the ACU at the TT and therefore riders feel that they can approach officials themselves with problems, certainly the office staff, Beryl etc are far more REAL than those at the TT. I think that introducing a riders rep at the MGP would possibly start to build a them and us situation which is not there at the moment. But thats just my view.
As for morning practices being scrapped, it is a shame as this is another unique TT/MGP thing that is being lost to new culture of suing that we live in, they are no more dangerous now than they were 50 years ago are they? OK the bikes are quicker, but they also stop and handle better, the riders reactions I feel are possibly that bit quicker than years ago, I remember Roger Marshal saying on video (1986?87/88 I think) that "the days have gone now where you could turn up at the TT, have a ride round and get a result" the point being that if you could turn up,ride round and get a "result" then your reactions would not need to be that good would they?
Morning practices are a mixed bag, I used to hate getting up for them, going through scruts, and then standing on Glencrutchery Road cold, but once going there was no better feeling than blasting round so early in the morning watching the sun come up and noticing how much lighter it was on lap 2 than lap 1 :-), you knew it was nearly time for tea at the Hailwood Centre then ;-).
On the point that they are stopping morning practice on the grounds of safety, this I will never agree with, the ONLY thing that makes the TT and MGP safer in the long run is RESPECT FOR THE COURSE, and the only way to gain more respect for the course (without pain) is MORE PRACTICE.
Sorry to rabble on a bit.
Cheers
Russ