Readers' letters - June 5

I am grateful and privileged to live in a democracy and acknowledge the sacrifices made by long-gone generations to give me this right.

My vote is my personal right to voice a genuine opinion and to contribute to the choice of MP in my local area – maybe not to the chosen government in the event but to the choice of a local representative hopefully.

I am seriously concerned to have learned that there is a new organisation operating online where contacts are made across, I believe, the whole country.

People can discuss and decide between themselves to ‘swap their vote strategically’ and vote differently from their first choice to affect the overall result, worryingly not in their own area.

Your vote is personal, it matters both nationally and to your local area.

You cannot decide to walk into a voting booth in a completely different area and vote to influence choices in that area.

You are recorded, numbered and checked at your local office.

There is more than enough lack of transparency and this attempt to distort political outcomes should be banned.

It is yet another unacceptable development in the world of social media where attempts to manipulate and influence people should be better monitored and prevented.

Be honest, vote in line with your convictions to influence developments nationally and locally but not to distort outcomes.

Rennie Fry

via email

Look after our people first

Having watched recent TV debates, I am still going to vote UKIP.

Why does Paul Nuttall get stick for saying it as it is on immigration? Our infrastructure just cannot sustain current levels. More houses equals more roads, cars and other transport.

More houses also means more gas, water, drainage and sewage, more electric... We have fewer police, not enough hospitals and schools.

On employment, we have 1.6 million out of work.

Get these numbers to under 500,000 first. Get a work ethic back here.

If someone gets, for example, £200 to £300 benefits, they must be made to go to work.

If the job pays less, then subsidise with smaller benefit. This would cut welfare costs.

If they don’t take a job, stop benefits, no more something for nothing.

We also have to drastically cut overseas aid and save about £8bn. Spend this on the NHS, police, other services, creating work here.

A sum of, say, £1bn could be set aside to help countries in times of flooding and earthquakes etc.

Too much of the aid is wasted.

When will people realise, we have to get our people looked after first?

Other countries should step up to the plate.

Finally, on benefits. It’s time to stop/reduce benefits after the third child. Why does society have to look after benefits machines?

The pension should not be cut. After all, people like myself have worked over 47 years and contributed, unlike some who choose not to bother trying to work.

KM

via email

Beware of

dog thieves

Now that the weather has improved, I have noticed more people are taking their dogs out shopping with them and leaving them tied up outside shops unattended while they do their shopping.

If this is something you do, then please be aware that thieves can take your dog in full view of the public without anyone knowing they are not the owner.

Please consider leaving your beloved pet in the safety of its own home in future when you go out shopping.

It’s just not worth the risk.

Josephine Harwood

Address supplied