I WEARILY listen to the party conference speeches and note both main parties emphasising their plans for the “hard working families”.

I am left bobbing in the wake of such plans for my wife and I are not included any longer – we are retired and apparently irrelevant.

But we retirees do, however, constitute about half of the voting population and we do own more than half of the property equity even though what savings we may have amassed repay us with miserable return thanks to government mis-management.

We are the age group which does get out to vote, however.

While we may not be included in the agendas of the major political parties, they ignore us at their peril.

Chris Greenwell, Darlington.

LAST week, the Tories were campaigning in Europe to defend the million pound bonuses and benefits that bankers receive – the bankers who were responsible for the current financial hardship many of us are enduring.

This week in Manchester, the same Tories are proposing to make those on social benefits suffer further hardship and sanctions.

So much for us all being in it together.

J Moffat, Chilton.