LIKE many other people I received a glossy leaflet from Jason McCartney with its numerous smiling photos but no reference to the fact that he is a Conservative MP.

Not once does the leaflet address the real issues which are affecting many of his constituents.

So Mr McCartney, please answer the following questions :

1. My daughter attends a local high school in your constituency.Why did you vote with the government to reduce the amount of spending per pupils in schools and to end the previous Government’s repair and building programme? The reduction in school spending will clearly worsen the standard of my daughter’s education.

2. Why did you vote for the National Health Service to be privatised, thereby breaking one of your promises before the election not to interfere with our excellent health service?

You have done this against the advice of the vast majority of health service professionals and without consulting your constituents.

Indeed, many local doctors signed a national petition against these changes. They know that the transfer of health services to private profit-making companies will mean the end of our beloved NHS and they will be forced to think more about the cost of treatment rather than what is best for the patients.

3. Why did you vote with your government for a massive reduction in the business regeneration of this area?

The abolition of Yorkshire Forward and its excellent work in promoting new business and regenerating rundown areas means you have voted for policies which have increased the number of people unemployed in this area.

4. Why did you vote for a significant reduction in the amount of Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit paid to less well-off families.

Many of your constituents now have to manage on significantly less under your Government.

Also, can you explain how you get the economy out of the recession you and your party have caused if people have less money to spend on goods and services

5. My wife and myself have been the victims of a serious crime in the last two years.

So why did you vote for a reduction in the number of police officers, thereby increasing the amount of crime committed in your area?

In terms of education, health, crime, business regeneration and unemployment Jason McCartney has questions to answer that were certainly not addressed in his glossy leaflet.

Some of us are not fooled by him wearing a Huddersfield Town scarf!

Let him have the courage of his convictions and tell us why he is a Tory and why he supports Tory policies which are adversely affecting his constituents.

Phil Woodthorpe

Mount

Bridge open again

ONCE again the Examiner (November 17) concentrated on the negative aspects of the bridgeworks in Milnsbridge, using old news and an old photograph instead of the positive news in last week’s Kirklees press release.

Despite the worst weather for outside work that could be imagined, Kirklees was able to announce that the bridge will be open for two-way traffic again.

This is especially impressive as the project was running three weeks behind schedule at one time because of weather-related problems.

Tough though it has been for Milnsbridge traders and residents, there has been one positive outcome of this work.

It has brought together the people trading in the area to work for the benefit of all their businesses and, in the long run, for the benefit of Milnsbridge as a whole.

Recently I was delighted to attend the first meeting of the Milnsbridge Business Association – 28 businesses were represented at this meeting where it was agreed that by speaking with one voice Milnsbridge businesses will be able to express their views more effectively in future.

May I wish the MBA all the best for the future and hope that the Examiner will find it possible to share this good news story with their readers, encouraging a more positive view of this historic Pennine village.

Hilary Richards

Labour Councillor, Golcar Ward

Potential disaster

REGARDING the story Commuter Misery After M62 Accident (Examiner, November 15), a West Yorkshire Fire Service Spokesman said: "When we arrived all three carriageways were blocked and we had to use the emergency hard shoulder to get through.’’

Just an observation. This is on part of the M62 between Bradford and Leeds where the M62 is being modified to allow running on the emergency hard shoulder in which case all the eastbound carriageway would be blocked with no way for the emergency services to get to the scene of an accident. What then?

I sincerely hope I’m wrong but I can visualise that a relatively minor accident in the future becomes horrific when running on the emergency hard shoulder is allowed because the emergency services cannot get to attend, especially if a collision has caused a fire.

R Hanson

Golcar

Helping grieving siblings

EVERY week in the UK 12 young people aged 14 to 35 die suddenly from undiagnosed heart conditions and 80% of those who die have no prior symptoms.

These deaths have a catastrophic effect on their families who desperately try to find answers as to how and why this apparently fit and healthy person could suddenly have had a fatal cardiac arrest. Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) was instigated in 1995 to help relieve the suffering of such families and offers a well-established specialist bereavement support programme.

Usually it is the parents who seek this support and CRY has found that siblings often feel they have to deal with their grief on their own.

As part of its annual awareness week, CRY is launching a unique new booklet for the brothers and sisters of young people who have tragically lost their lives to sudden cardiac death. Called Sibling Grief, it features 10 personal ‘essays’ from young people who have courageously shared their feelings of suddenly losing their sibling. The authors have wanted to give their personal story in the hope that other affected siblings will know they are not alone.

I have experienced the terrible impact of a young sudden cardiac death after a good friend and fellow rower died without warning from an undiagnosed heart condition in 2009. He was 25. Scott’s death had a devastating effect on his family. All who knew him found it impossible to believe that such an incredibly fit young man could die in this way.

If you know anyone who has been affected by young sudden cardiac death – particularly those who have lost a brother or sister – please consider encouraging them to log on to www.c-r-y.org.uk. CRY is there to help.

Andrew Triggs-Hodge, CRY Patron

Double Olympic Gold Medallist