Anonymity is granted only at the discretion of the editor, who also reserves the right to edit letters.

They’re getting nastier

Cameron and Osbourne, both beneficiaries of inherited wealth, joyfully embarked on their austerity measures. Councils cut services; social housing sold off; the disabled went through truly appalling tests and claimants cast as ‘scroungers.’ Suicides too.

Arch punisher Ian Duncan-Smith wanted ‘work to pay,’ so employers played their part by offering low wages and no job security (which Duncan-Smith must have been aware of).

Little wonder then that a United Nations recent report slates the Tory Government’s policies towards the less fortunate.

It concluded that rising privation was ‘not just a disgrace, but a social calamity and economic disaster.’

It found a disconnect between Government spin and the testimonies the UN representative personally heard. He criticised the mean-spirited approach to those in need and warned that the Government was in denial about the inequalities its own policies were creating. Church leaders who spoke out were treated with the same contempt as were charities which help the marginalised, having been warned off ‘political’ campaigning.

It’s perfectly legit for the UN to expose inequality and poverty abroad it seems, but to point out similar problems here is apparently a crime against our nation’s impeccable reputation.

Most current Cabinet members are loaded and smug. They do not, cannot or will not see the suffering their policies are causing.

The Nasty Party never really left and it simply couldn’t care less.

Jeff Adams, Bloomsbury, Swindon

No compassion

Never has the expression ‘fiddling while Rome burns’ been more appropriate than at present.

For much of the recent past there has not been a day without some report or other highlighting the low and declining state of life in this country, especially regarding vital public services. And yet those with the power to alleviate the problems for ordinary people seem oblivious to the issues.

Only the other day a United Nations report, not some anti-Tory bunch of disgruntled citizens, but a worldwide body, stated that the implementation of universal credit was causing genuine hardship to families up and down the country.

The response from the new minister in-charge was to brush off such criticism. This is on the back of the old minister who simply commented that families would lose a few thousand pounds a year: no understanding, no compassion and worst of all, no desire to seek a solution.

Ordinary people look to the police to help keep them safe and yet their numbers have been severely depleted during this decade that the Tories have been in power. Instead of using policemen to get to grips with local, neighbourhood issues, to use them to catch the perpetrators of assaults on firemen and ambulance crews and to sort out life in prisons, the minister responsible for calling her group The Nasty Party has supported the enforced continuing declining number of officers.

I am afraid that I, like most ordinary people, are in despair that our elected representatives seem unable to grasp that life in this country is becoming worse. They have the power to improve our lives, but they refuse to act.

Bob Pixton, Abney Moor, Liden

What’s the choice?

Steve Halden in his letter (A real horror story) 17 Nov, criticises me for saying that we need to build a culture of peace and love. The alternative is more of what we seen now around the world, e.g. war, racism, hatred towards minority groups and walls of barbed wire being put up around the globe.

What’s you preferred choice Steve, peace and love or walls and hatred?

Martin Webb, Swindon Road, Old Town

Crowning glory

Swindon Guide Dogs would like to thank everyone who attended our Charity Christmas Coffee Morning at The Crown, Stratton on Saturday 24th November. Through your generosity we raised an excellent £674.

Our thanks also go to Danielle, Taniya, Emma and all the staff at The Crown for their hard work and great support.

Alan Fletcher, Swindon Guide Dogs