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Don’t be gullible

Martin Costello’s attempt to sanitise UKIP won’t do. It is a right wing populist party. It poses as an opposition to an establishment intent on squeezing working people. But when it addresses the pressure on the living standards of ordinary people its entire intervention falsely claims that immigration causes these problems.

Martin can’t even stop himself doing this in a letter intended to show a different face. Elsewhere, its polices are standard late Thatcherite positions which privileged the rich and were hated.

Martin says UKIP, today in rapid decline according to everyone from Farage leftwards, aren’t right wing, and are “of the people”.

When Spear’s Magazine reported on a UKIP fundraiser, stuffed with the very rich, it described the nostalgia for Margaret Thatcher and noted a “whiff… a delight in being anti-establishment while still maintaining the trappings of solid wealth and status.” - ie projecting a false anti-establishment image while solidly supporting the establishment.

The populism is for the gullible. These rich backers are paying for a party which works for themselves. It supports privatisation of the NHS but latterly has decided it would be too electorally damaging to say so openly.

Peter Smith, Woodside Avenue, Swindon

A despicable act

Mark Webb, Feb 5th, says he was disappointed with the low attendance at the Cenotaph on International Holocaust Day.

Not so many years ago, to honour the victims of the Holocaust there was a ceremony held in Faringdon Park, which was attended by a few local dignitaries.

A small bronze plaque with poignant words was place at the spot.

A couple of years ago, and not necessarily on Holocaust Day, there was a big turn-out but not one you would expect. Someone, and I am almost lost for words, committed a deplorable act by defecating at its base.

I’m now sad to inform, this significant plaque which belied its size and relayed a message that Swindon cares, has gone AWOL.

William Abraham, Rodbourne, Swindon

Thanks for caring

I WOULD be so grateful if you would publish my sincere thanks and appreciation to those kind and caring people who looked after me when I collapsed in the Brunel Centre last Wednesday morning.

I, and my husband, will always appreciate the care and comfort we unstintingly received from passers-by, security staff, paramedics and hospital staff on that day. My friends will be pleased to know that I was discharged from the hospital the next day, and am now making a good recovery.

Audrey Short, Swindon