Give me guidance on who to vote for

I am now 83, and many years ago when I reached 21 and received my chance to vote, I asked my dad for advice, and he replied: “Never trust a Tory.”

I asked “How about the liberals?” He answered: “A vote for the Liberals is a vote for the Tories.” This advice has proved sound up until the current election.

Like the majority of the population, I voted for Brexit, and I believe Theresa May is the one to deliver it.

There will be no easy deal. The EU is playing “hardball”, and quoting impractical conditions for our departure, even bringing Gibraltar and Northern Ireland into the mix.

I’m unconvinced by anti-brexit scare stories about all the problems the UK’S withdrawal will bring.

Just go to M20 or the M2 and count the ratio of British lorries against continental lorries.

They need us as much as we need them, and from a recent report in the Gazette where a local farmer destroyed a crop of 4,000 cauliflowers because of supermarkets importing from the continent.

It just means we will have to adjust to more home production.

I am not happy about Mrs May’s other policies.

We all know the Tories are destroying the NHS, with cuts to the number of stroke units in Kent from seven to three being one such example.

Education is also a concern; a local school teacher told me that their budget is to be cut by £45,000 over the next two years.

As for the Lib Dems, back in the autumn I attended a speech by leader Tim Farron at Christ Church University, where he argued persuasively for his party being the “real opposition”.

I thought he was really on to something.

That is until he was asked about his views on Brexit, and he stated that he was 100% against leaving, and would do everything in his power to hold another referendum.

At that moment he had lost all credibility.

Labour have the best policies, but I’m not sure about their stance on Brexit or immigration. During the last election, I asked the Labour candidate Hugh Lanning for his views on immigration, and his reply was “why, is it a problem?”

Clearly, he is a man out of touch with reality.

The Green Party have good socialist ideals but many of their policies are idealistic and unrealistic.

Can anyone please give me some guidance in this year’s election? For the first time ever, I’m truly indecisive over who to vote for. Ronald Waters Address supplied

Are we really going to see our current Tory MP walk into parliament again?

I have observed and lived in Canterbury over 30 years and watched the deterioration of the quality of life for its residents.

Julian Brazier has slavishly followed the Tory line whether or not it is good for our city and its environs.

The quality of life has deteriorated. I noticed at the recent hustings that he proudly said his children were born in the Kent and Canterbury Hospital. Well, they wouldn’t be now. Instead it’s a drive to Ashford.

The local hospital has been undermined, the services removed and curtailed, lack of funds prevents development and maintenance. All under the Tory watch.

There is poorer air quality, excessive and banal commercial building, and fewer open spaces, especially in the south of the city.

A new private housing development approved with no heed to the lack of water in the area, the air quality and no convincing plan for transportation issues, nor protection for our World Heritage Site status.

More recently 53% of Canterbury residents voted to Remain. He gives us no representation.

He sounds more like a Ukip MP than a Conservative one.

It is his duty to not to just tow the party line but represent all the people in the constituency.

Canterbury people, get out and vote. Beryl Wilson St Augustines Road, Canterbury

I remain astonished that the Conservatives maintain any kind of lead in the opinion polls.

Theresa May, rather than being strong, is too weak to engage in debate with her rivals, too weak to specify a clear plan for Brexit, so weak she has to cosy up to an utterly irresponsible American president as well as other governments which deny democracy to their people, and so weak that her economic and social policies attack the poor and defenceless in our society.

They are: pensioners, the disabled, dementia sufferers and schoolchildren, rather than tax-avoiders, money launderers and hate-mongering media barons.

Her voting record in parliament consists of support for negative, destructive policies, while Jeremy Corbyn has consistently opposed these, sometimes at some personal cost. This is the mark of a strong leader.

May’s government consistently undermines the position of health care professionals, educators, the police and the Army.

If she is re-elected we will see the most right-wing government since at least 1905 and a continuation of the

I could hardly believe my eyes when I read the letter from the Liberal Democrat candidate for Canterbury and Whitstable, James Flanagan, claiming to be desperately concerned for the mental health of our nation (Gazette, May 25).

Has he forgotten a major pledge within his own manifesto?

May I remind him that should the Liberal Democrats win the general election, they intend to legalise cannabis.

Cannabis use has been medically proven through countless studies to cause psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and other forms of personality and behavioural disorders.

James Flanagan should look up and carefully digest what the Royal College of Psychiatrists have to say on the subject.

They have compiled a truly damning report.

Cannabis, particularly the stronger varieties such as skunk, destroys the lives of those who use it and brings untold distress to their families and friends. Clive Wilkins-oppler Garlinge Green, Canterbury

I must take issue with James Flanagan’s opinion (Letters, May 25) that mental health must be an election issue.

As someone involved in the mental health service for more than 40 years (not as a professional), I feel entitled to say that the last thing we need is politicians thinking that extra funding is the answer to the endemic problems still in existence in our mental health and social care system.

Mr Flanagan has apparently been told that “an integral part of getting better is the support provided by family”.

This is not always the case. Please, politicians, don’t think that staff on the local mental health team know all the answers.

Speak to the patients and carers too and you might realise that this is a subject best left to the experienced experts. In my opinion it is not a suitable subject for electioneering at either national or local level. Janet Penton New Dover Road, Canterbury

Political hustings are an important part of our democratic process, enabling candidates to explain their positions and answer questions from the public.

These events are open to all and provide