I AM sure I am not alone in sympathising with all those who have been so dreadfully affected by the worst flooding since records began.

I am equally sure that most will agree that this Government and its policies have proved inadequate to deal with this and many other situations affecting so many people.

I believe in giving help to those most in need, first and foremost to the people who need help in this country and not to despotic leaders in foreign countries to bolster their private bank accounts through the overseas aid programme.

The Government is elected to ensure the safety and well-being of the people of this country and to spend the money generated through taxation for their benefit.

This Government is failing to fulfill this responsibility in many areas such as our wasteful and over-managed bureaucratic NHS.

The revised welfare policy is currently costing more to administer than it is saving, while ill-thought out policies are putting a strain on hard-up local authorities.

The coalition has also retained expensive and unnecessary quangos - the Environment Agency being a glaring example - most of whom escaped the bonfire of the quangos which turned out to be just a little campfire.

The time has come for our socalled leaders to get a grip on reality and realise that they need to prioritise help and support for us.

Scrap most of the overseas aid budget and divert the funds to meet the demands at home.

Let us spend money on humanitarian aid overseas when the need arises, but, at the moment, the need is in providing flood defences and aid to stricken families here at home.

I am going to vote in 2015 for the party that promises to look after the British people first and foremost and that might not be one of the main parties, all of whose policies are presently failing us.

N Smith, Northallerton.