I’m canvassing for a candidate in the county council elections and I am shocked by what people are saying on the doorstep.

They are aggrieved. Some people are so angry I’ve been told: to ‘bugger off as I’m never voting again’. People who voted remain or leave are in equal measure disillusioned and wary.

This disillusionment is not confined to one party. The Tories are blamed for incompetence and Labour is blamed for its failed opposition. The Tories have had an internal dispute about Europe for 30 years which split the party apart; UKIP is one result of this. It ate away at the Tory party like a disease which the party tried to cure through the referendum, but infected the whole country. This has damaged our democracy: people don’t want to vote.

It seems the whole county is enraged, split and divided. When talking to people we are discussing the big issues, the local issues like the relief road don’t get mentioned. This is not so much destroying our county but is hindering the global response to the bigger issues, such as climate change, education and young people, and the health service to name a few.

Freer Spreckley

Dorstone