The silly season must be approaching as I have been lucky enough to have two local politicians on separate occasions come to my front door.

However, having not seen them around for about three years I could not put a name to the face or to what party they purportedly represented.

Our two Swindon MPs seem to have turned over a new leaf and gone out of character it would seem, as in the Adver of September 9 they stated they are not in favour of the recommended 10 per cent pay increase as put forward by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

Could this possibly be because they feel aggrieved that public sector workers are still well and truly pegged to rises of a derisory one per cent, and nothing to do with the fast approaching silly season? Mr Justin Tomlinson, has been throwing his weight behind a new national scheme for the regulation of rogue garage mechanics, and a campaign to abolish English NHS hospital parking charges, which is something that Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales never had in the first place.

I would also suggest he may like to add another campaign – to do away with the local patient line which is the extortionately priced hard wired, ‘take it or leave it’ rip off TV service at the GWH – the one that requires a minimum payment of £5, with the hours purchased ticking away whether one is viewing or not.

Wouldn’t it be lovely to get back to sanity and the days when patients could use their own TVs which was the case at the old PMH hospital, after mandatory electrical PAT safety testing had taken place.

After all, we have often been told by Mr Tomlinson’s Tories they are the party of choice so there is hope, as being hospitalised has become a necessary but expensive luxury these days. This sudden flurry of activity wouldn’t have anything to do with a general election being around the corner would it? It makes one wonder why suddenly after three years or more in power, these issues have suddenly focused the mind of Justin Tomlinson.

Don’t get me wrong, these are very noble causes but it does make one wonder if his party will be in a position to carry them through as time is running out.

G A Woodward Nelson Street Swindon