Election 'debates' turning many people off politics

Most mornings the media report fresh spending pledges accompanied by promises not to raise taxes.

We hear the constant refrain that these promises are “fully costed”, but much less clarity as to how.

This lack of honesty is also seen in the tendency of leading Conservatives to evade answering questions about the government’s political record and to continually hammer home the message about the Labour Opposition’s plans to increase taxes.

So called election debates are not debates at all, but have degenerated into “slanging matches” with participants talking over each other.

It is no wonder that many people are turned off politics.

Underlying it all is a lack of a comprehensive vision for grasping the key problems facing this country – the impact of climate change, a stagnant economy, a housing crisis, and an underfunded NHS and broken social care system, both of which cannot cope with an increasingly ageing population.

These problems will require tax increases and long term investment and the major political parties need to be more honest about this.

Bill Stuart, Darlington.

Your future

THIS is an important moment, with important choices with important consequences at stake, so it is important that every reader thinks, chooses and votes on July 4.

Think about the consequences of the past 45 years of extreme individualism, free market economics, and divisive populist rhetoric.

We were promised that if we deregulated the economy, regulated trade unions, then cut taxes and welfare, that the country and its citizens would become richer.

The policies to deliver these were monetarism; financial deregulation of banks and building societies; a credit boom; privatisation; Brexit; austerity; then Liz Truss’s kamikaze budget.

Worse still, instead of good government, fact-based policy making, we got chaos, government by gimmick, performative cruelty, levelling down, weakness not greatness, a sort of rudeness in opposition to decency.

We are all now impoverished in more ways than one – not since 1945 are national public debt and personal taxes higher, life expectancy and mental health in decline, but then we had a united people, a strong army, functioning public services – we had won a war to make a country fit for all its citizens.

Don’t listen to the malign voices that tell you that “they” are all corrupt, the same and in it for themselves.

There are good and decent people standing to represent you, but it takes some effort and judgement to locate them. What is needed now is not more drama of the same tax and service cutting politics, but something more boring, predictable, safe, unifying and productive – identifying and solving real not fictitious problems, repairing the roof, walls and foundations of our country and constituencies to make them worth living in and secure again.

This requires trustworthy governing for all, working together, cooperation not just conflict, investment driven partnerships between government, business, labour and voluntary bodies together to drive our society forward.

The Liberal Democrats, Greens and Labour all offer workable routes to deliver these priorities, but only one of these can take you there on July 4.

So, do what voters did in 1945, and vote Labour, and get your counties and the country moving forward again.

Dr John Gibbins, Sowerby, Thirsk.

Leadership

INSPIRATIONAL leaders might be popular but if they are deluded then much destruction, misery and waste of life may ensue.

Tony Blair and George W Bush ignored evidence and warnings to launch the catastrophic invasion of Iraq.

The discipline of science, based on repeatable demonstrations of objective evidence, has led to vast improvements in the health and standards of living of billions.

Numerous false and destructive beliefs have been debunked and their consequences diminished by the application of rational, evidence-based, thinking.

We no longer burn to death those who point out that the earth revolves around the sun, nor do we persecute witchcraft suspects.

Shockingly many in authority, like our government, led by Rishi Sunak, choose to ignore evidence such as the 30 per cent and rising fraction of children growing up in poverty.

Within the past seven years the demand for food parcels in Mr Sunak’s constituency has increased six-fold.

He shows no concern or plan for this preventable suffering and poor start in life.

It was illuminating to read in his interview, published in the latest Sunday Times, that he believes in the concept of dharma, being quoted as saying “you do [your duty] because it’s the right thing to do, and you have to detach yourself from the outcome of it.”

Our MP is increasingly being recognised as detached, seemingly deliberately, from the consequences of his actions.

He appears cocooned in self-righteousness, untroubled by the consequences of his actions.

Deluded and destructive, albeit with slick PR and photo ops.

Mark Harrison, Swainby.

Poor judgement

RISHI SUNAK has been a hard-working local MP but this election campaign has revealed why he is totally unsuitable as the leader of our country.

This has nothing to do with his privileged background or his enormous personal wealth, but everything to do with his political judgement.

His behaviour in leaving the 80th anniversary of D-Day commemorations early is the culmination of poor decision-making, the first example of which we saw when he accepted the job of Chancellor from Boris Johnson after Sajid Javid resigned on a matter of principle.

He has shown flawed judgement every time he’s been put to the test: public health protection during Covid, the Rwanda policy, moving the Tory Party ever further from the centre ground of politics, even the timing of the election.

He either doesn’t listen to advice, or he must have appointed terrible advisors.

He no longer deserves to be the MP for Richmond and Northallerton.

Lenny Cornwall, Stokesley.

Avoidance tactics

IN reference to the letter “Equine deposits” (D&S Times letters, June 14).

I could not help feeling sorry for the writer, who appeared somewhat upset when getting horse poo on their cycle and car tyres. There are ways to avoid this when cycling, by steering slightly to the left or right therefore missing the poo.

Likewise, when in a car, providing the poo is less than a foot high it may be possible to straddle it.

Being a cyclist and driver myself I have a vast experience of making such manoeuvres as I cycle from Swainby to Hutton Rudby on a daily basis, returning via Potto and I have encountered a number of piles of horse muck over the years.

Henceforth my advice for what it is worth is simple, when facing the said hazard, the best avoidance strategy is steer clear!

Trevor Mason, Swainby.

Pension discrepancy

I LIVE in Richmond and am a retired teacher.

I had cause to consult my MP, Rishi Sunak two years ago, because the DWP reduced my own state pension by £1,000 per year at the moment my husband died.

Mr Sunak has been in a position to put right this anomaly in the DWP policy, which bizarrely sees two per cent of bereaved people (mainly old ladies who worked, like myself), lose some of the state pension they earned when they are bereaved.

He did nothing to help this constituent, or to correct the anomaly for the others affected by it!

Previously I thought that MPs had a duty to represent their constituents, however, I would have been better served by a back bench MP with a small majority.

Anne Cowan, Richmond.

In praise of the buses

THE local buses in Northallerton are very good and do a great job for local residents.

Buses 74a and 74b have been working for a while and now we have the 74c which began in early June covering another area of the town.

All the bus drivers are friendly and helpful.

They cope very well with all the side roads with lots of parked cars.

Lots of the passengers are well known to the drivers and David is in the driver’s seat quite often.

So “thank you” to the drivers and friendly passengers for an agreeable local Northallerton service.

C Cuthbert, Northallerton.

Pulling teeth

I RECENTLY saw a television interview where Sir Keir Starmer stated that vast numbers of British children were having to have lots of teeth removed – and that it was the fault of the current government.

When I was a child, sweets were a treat and not a staple, and my parents ensured I brushed my teeth regularly and properly.

As a result I did not need to have any bad teeth taken out.

If this had not been the case and I’d required the removal of decayed teeth, would that have been the fault of the governments of James Callaghan, Ted Heath or Harold Wilson?

I think not.

We must also remember that Pam Ayres’ most famous poem is I Wish I’d Looked After Me Teeth.

It isn’t “I Wish the UK Government Had Looked After Me Teeth”.

Dale Edwards, York.

Voter apathy

I GET the impression that the forthcoming General Election may well be decided by voter apathy.

The mistrust of politicians generated by their lack of understanding of every day struggles that most ordinary people face and their pursuit of self-interests, has turned the voting public off.

I have always believed that in a true democracy, proportional representation is a must and if introduced may rekindle voter interest.

Surely the Government’s role is to serve the people of the UK regardless of status or political persuasion and every voter should feel that their votes count.

Edwin Pickering, Darlington.

Ballot box choices

SPECTATOR’S Notes (D&S Times, June 14) was titled “Plenty of choice for Richmond”, a little ironic as Spectator, before listing the 13 candidates available, hazards the opinion that “Rishi Sunak is perhaps likely to stay safe in the seat....”

So despite the precautionary “perhaps” the clear suggestion is that, once again in this constituency, the apparent choice is illusory as the result is a foregone conclusion and voters can have fun making a protest if they wish playing pick and mix with the other 12 candidates.

Perhaps Spectator is not aware of the Electoral Calculus results (updated to June 15) showing : Conservative 36.5 per cent; Labour 29.64 per cent; Reform UK 17.01 per cent; Liberal Democrat 11.41 per cent; Green 4.5 per cent; others 0.91 per cent.

Tactical voting by the non-Conservative voters could produce a significant and historic upset.

Spectator is right, for once, in this constituency, there is a choice.

M Whitehead, Northallerton.

Sadness at lost farms

DUE to the commercial and residential development of Darlington’s ever expanding western edge in recent years, a number of farms have disappeared forever and the farming community has been destroyed.

The number of farms lost to these developers is alarming to say the least.

For those who not aware of these losses, here they are, Rise Carr, Huntershaw, Middle Faverdale, Cockerton Grange, Stag House, Mount Pleasant, Humbleton and Faverdale.

That’s eight farms that have gone forever, and soon there are two more farmhouses due for demolition.

When is this expansion going to end?

Name and address supplied.