Dear Editor,

Jesse Norman likes to quote the one time he rebelled against the government.

theyworkforyou.com records the other 1,293 votes cast for the government, for example to increase tuition fees and cut welfare, while the government’s wealthy supporters are allowed to continue to treat tax as optional.

Although it’s good to see his office offering to help with benefits claims, the fact that the current punitive welfare sanctions actually cost more money than they save, tells you a lot about this government’s priorities.

In Ross we have a food bank, problems with homelessness, and gaps in health and social care provision. It’s frustrating to see so many damaged by austerity, while our representative in Westminster votes for it.

With the British Medical Journal calculating 120,000 premature deaths in the UK due to austerity cuts, shouldn’t our MP be fighting for a fairer society, and voting to fund health and social care properly? Maybe it’s time for a proper rebel.

Dr Simon Lennane

Ross-on-Wye