Only Ukip offers hope of voting reform

CONGRATULATIONS to Ukip for securing their first MP and just missing out on a second in a Labour heartland (The Yorkshire Post, June 11).

The best the Tories can do is not fight Ukip on their policies, but use the mantra “Vote Ukip, get Miliband” instead. The only reason the Tories can use this is that under the present system (with the current exception of a coalition government) we are given a choice of a Labour or Conservative government. They take it in turns and as a result largely take us for granted and do what’s best in politicians’ interests, not ours.

What would be fair is, of course, full proportional representation. Then every vote cast actually contributes towards what we the people want. Under full PR, there is no such thing as a ‘wasted vote’.

Research in the marginal seats shows that Labour is as much at risk as the Tories from Ukip. So what I say is “Vote Ukip, get Ukip”. Only Ukip gives us any hope of electoral reform, which is actually the biggest issue in politics as it would guarantee that everyone is heard.

Then the Tories would have to fight elections on policies as opposed to pathetic scaremongering. Then Labour would not be able to sit back and hope that Ukip will hand them an undeserved victory on a plate.

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby.

WITH Ukip now having its first elected MP, it is time to take the party seriously. This means examining their policies away from the twin issues of EU membership and immigration, however important they may be.

Take, for instance, the announcement that UKip would introduce a higher rate of taxation on luxury goods. To me this was a sensible proposal, as it would raise money from those most able to pay.

Yet immediately Nigel Farage said that such a tax wouldn’t happen.

In other words, far from 
being a truly democratic party, it seems that power rests in the leader who can ride roughshod over what his other spokesmen say.

From: Dr Glyn Powell, Bakersfield Drive, Kellington, Goole, North Yorkshire.

ACCORDING to comments at 
the Tory party conference, premier David Cameron is now only lukewarm concerning Britain’s continued EU membership.

If this is so, he should hold a referendum immediately instead of 2017.

Or does he know there will be no referendum in 2017, as the Tories will not be in office and Labour, unfortunately, favour EU membership.

Wake up to the real world

From: Geoffrey Thorpe, Lister Avenue, East Bowling, Bradford.

JOHN Cole of Baildon (The Yorkshire Post, October 7) states that cutting benefits (for the poor) is not a very good thing. I agree entirely but my job includes working on housing estates and this summer I have seen young men and women sat about sunning themselves and not only the young but also people in their 40s and 50s. Many were sat outside pubs smoking and drinking or on their own doorsteps doing the same.

Now if these people can afford to smoke and drink in my opinion they are getting too much in benefits.

The trouble with the welfare system is that it is abused by hundreds of thousands of claimants. If people from Europe can arrive here and find a job, then people on benefits can also find jobs. MPs and Ministers keep harping on about the average wage being £26,000 but my question is where is the £10,000-£12,000 that I am not receiving?

Also if somebody is earning £26,000 they will be paying income tax (and paying their bills). If a household is receiving £26,000 in benefits, they will pay nothing. Working class people are getting fed up with the Labour Party and the Lib Dems complaining about the Conservatives cutting benefits. It is time that these people started living in the real world – the same as the working class.

From: Paul Morley, Ribblesdale Estate, Long Preston, Skipton.

ON the one hand Nick Clegg is worried about the state of the mental health services provided by the NHS, on the other he has been banging on for years about a soft approach to drug users (The Yorkshire Post, October 7).

Surely there is a contradiction in terms here? With politicians like Clegg wanting police to go easy on cannabis users, the mental health problems will only increase, negating any improvements to mental health services. The man should make his mind up what he wants.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

JUDGING by the media’s domesday forecasts, it seems it is hardly worth the Lib Dems’ while to turn up for the election next year. It would be as well for people to remember that the party have been through much harder times before but pulled through. Those were the days when they said the members could be counted on the fingers of both hands or even fitted into a taxi cab!

Last week’s conference was not marked by any panic or depression. Unlike the other parties, the Lib Dems discussed the important issues in a mature and intelligent manner, in sharp contrast to the propagandising and tub-thumping elsewhere. Those who have written them off yet again may need to put the obituary notice back in the filing cabinet when the times comes.