By voting with younger generations in mind, boomers can make amends

With election day approaching fast – and political scandals still coming to light – can I appeal to the people who can really make a difference?

Baby boomers are surely the luckiest generation in Britain. We missed the world wars, enjoyed the benefits of a functional and free NHS, and now we have a triple-lock pension. Oh, and we were able to go to university for free! Moreover, we now own nearly 80 per cent of the private housing stock in the country, making homes unaffordable for young families.

What has our boomer generation bequeathed to the succeeding generations? Unaffordable homes, Brexit, polluted waters and toxic air. It’s time we make amends for our selfishness and bequeath a better Britain – and a better world – to our children.

Our criterion for deciding who to vote for on 4 July should revolve around principles of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership. How do the party leaders fare against this benchmark? We don’t have to settle for sleaze, incompetence or blather.

Let’s not bequeath a wasteland to our children.

Khalid Haneef

Watford

Kate Devlin reports that the Tories are heading for their biggest defeat in over a century, since the Liberals trounced them in the 1906 general election ("Tories ‘held in contempt by the electorate’ as pressure mounts on Rishi Sunak over betting scandal", Friday 21 June).

That same Liberal government laid the foundations of the welfare state. They reduced poverty through, for example, the introduction of old age pensions, free school meals, unemployment insurance and medical treatment for children. 

Policies put forward by Keir Starmer suggest that when Labour, as predicted, forms the next government, it will also be a force for good.

But it is important that Starmer’s government is subject to an effective parliamentary opposition. The Tories, based on their present showing, won’t be up to the task – which is why the country must have more Liberal Democrat MPs returned at the general election than the Tories.

As a progressive party, they will be more constructive. Voters in those many constituencies where the Lib Dems have a real chance of winning should act accordingly.

Roger Hinds

Surrey

Many have noticed the absence of Nigel Farage at the most recent TV debate – which was all the more stark considering the presence of John Swinney, the SNP leader who fewer than one in 10 Britons can vote for, and who currently polls some 3 per cent nationally.

But the right-wing share in our country has collapsed. The Conservatives and Reform UK are fighting with barely distinguishable policies for a minority share of the vote. In such context, Farage is more a fly in the ointment than the elephant that’s missing from the room.

We are told the UK is a union of equals. The electorate are choosing the parliament of the UK, not just the parliament of England.

If the concern is about representation, it should be remembered that the UK comprises four countries. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have devolved parliaments. Westminster, located in England, is the home of the government of the United Kingdom.

The views of all four member countries should be given equal weight. It is right that English electors are made aware of the concerns of the other nations. They are – after all – under existing arrangements, their partners. They may learn something valuable.

David Nelmes

Newport

The cost of living crisis in the last few years has been difficult for many. Given the coverage of the election scandals and the personalities involved, it feels like practical, day-to-day measures that could help hard-pressed working people are not getting enough attention.

One of the hidden scandals affecting ordinary people is inadequate sick pay. Millions of workers, if they are unlucky enough to fall ill and have no extra employer sick pay, may end up struggling to survive financially on the legal minimum of £116.75 per week statutory sick pay.

In our area, that affects tens of thousands of people. Despite a sick pay policy that contributed to needless deaths during the pandemic, the government has not acted to reform it. Now, in this election campaign, neither Labour nor Conservatives have pledged an increase in sick pay to ensure workers can meet essential needs.

I hope local candidates will, therefore, be clear with voters where they stand on a sick pay increase. If the European Union, Canada, Japan and other places with similar economies can offer more generous sick pay terms, why can’t we?

Gary Dowling

Address Supplied

Olivia Petter thinks men should not wear short shorts this summer (“Who loves short shorts? Paul Mescal and a lot of men who should know better”, Thursday 20 June). What a sexist bit of nonsense!

As a member of the female sex, she has an unlimited choice of what to wear in the summer – long and floaty dresses, tight and skimpy clothing, in all colours and styles, and a million accessories to style her look. Blokes have a more limited choice, and to “fat shame” them into wearing what she thinks of as acceptable is silly.

Mind your own business and leave men in peace – which is, I’m sure, what she’d say if men dared to criticise a woman’s outfit.

Further to Simon Calder’s story about confusion over the return of the 100ml of liquids limit (“Airport security liquids rule – what is changing?” Friday, 14 June), we recently travelled from Birmingham airport to Malaga.

To catch our flight, we arrived at 5.30am, and even though we had an express pass for security, we were made to queue for 40 minutes, only then to stand for another 40 minutes before we entered the security hall.

If British airports are experiencing delays, it is not because of passengers exceeding the 100ml liquids rule – that is rubbish. It’s just disorganisation.

Birmingham’s old security hall should never have been closed down before the new one was ready. It’s a complete disgrace, and a terrible start to your holiday. It stresses you out.

Airports ought to stop blaming the passengers for their own failures.

Peter Dunn

Pershore