MAY I offer my congratulations to the six Spennymoor town councillors who recently displayed some sound common sense by forsaking party politics to serve as independents.

Apparently the hypocrisy of sacrificing one’s true opinion to the party whip has finally sunk in.

As a coal miner for 35 years I was taught a lesson in life – those who did the most shouting, often reaped the benefits of those who did the actual shovelling.

Party politics in a nutshell.

AW Dunn, Spennymoor.