I HAVE tried to stay out of politics but feel I need to highlight Heather Scott’s and Tory hypocrisy in general.

It’s all very well blaming the Labour council (who may have made mistakes) but let’s look at the root cause of cuts to library services, Sure Start centres, public health budgets, NHS services, school budgets etc.

As a GP in Darlington for 33 years I have never seen so much poverty, homelessness, and mental ill health attributable to DWP stopping payments for severely disabled and even dying patients.

Some of my patients have been driven to suicide.

The Tory party continue to drive up national health and wealth inequalities, partly by slashing council budgets in the North but still finding money for Tory councils in the South.

Sadly, Tory ideology, unnecessary austerity and capitalist greed have destroyed any semblance of equity in British society, and worse is to come given the quality of candidates they are fielding for prime minister.

The Darlington public who voted for them have been sadly duped by lies yet again (remember Brexit claims of money for NHS etc). Thank goodness my ward kicked both Tory candidates out in favour of two Green Party councillors.

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