MADAM — Back in 2008, we had the ‘banking crisis’ and some of the rich and powerful, who benefited from that by being bailed out by government, probably have nice big houses in the Cotswolds.

We are now paying for this crisis through government austerity measures, which have led to the greatest disparity between rich and poor since before the first world war and real suffering for many.

A few weeks ago, I wrote to Neil Carmichael, expressing my concern at discovering that the present, tortuous nature of our benefits system has resulted in death by starvation for a few people.

I’ve not yet heard from him, so could I assume he doesn’t think it important?

On Friday, September 5, Mr Carmichael voted in the Commons against the proposed amendment of the ‘bedroom tax’.

This amendment would exclude both those who could not be offered anywhere smaller because there just aren’t enough places available, as well as those with special circumstances that mean they cannot move through disablement.

We could conclude that our present MP is aligning himself with the rich against the poor; when did members of the establishment behave differently?

Julia Bayes

Stroud