IN the Pity Me area of Durham we had 15 candidates standing in the local election. Yet we received literature from only four people who represented just two parties – Labour and UKIP.

What disappointed me the most was not the lack of information from the big guns, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories.

There was nothing from the Independents or the Green Party – if they wish to be a force in local politics they need to get their fingers out and tell the voters what they are fighting for!

Merely hanging a sheet in a window or garden saying “vote Joe Bloggs” isn’t good enough.

In an era when voting for one of the three main parties is a vote for the same ship only with a different figurehead, surely the opposition should be at least attempting to stir up our stagnant political system.

Incidentally I returned my vote paper spoilt.

Alan Paily, Pity Me, Durham.

THE Liberal Democrats made much of allowances last Thursday. Durham County Councillor Mark Wilkes condemned “the clothing allowance being provided to Labour councillors”; Councillor David Stoker’s leaflet noted the “shocking £12,000 clothing allowance given to local Labour councillors”.

I wonder if they might reflect on the fact that this is a little misleading, and have the decency to apologise and correct these statements?

I welcome reasonable allowances as a way of ensuring that decent people from all walks of life have an opportunity for public service, not just retired professionals on comfortable final salary pensions.

Councillors Wilkes, Stoker and the rest seem to have forgotten that between 2008 and 2012 they took their allowance – which some councillors give to charity – of £13,300 a year, £63,237 each over the five-year period.

No doubt we can look forward to them refusing their allowances over the next five years in order to restore their currently nonexistent reputation for consistency and decency.

Andrzej Olechnowicz, Shincliffe Village, Durham.