HOW short sighted the Conservative Party were when they failed to reciprocate Paul Sykes’s support some time ago. Little wonder he stood back and appraised the political situation for what it is or is not! So wake up Ukip if this man is prepared to back you. Don’t just take his money but give him a voice. He may not speak with a “plum in his mouth” but what comes out will be down to earth, straight talking common sense and Yorkshire wisdom. I remember Paul Sykes as a shrewd, self-disciplined, hardworking young man blessed with integrity and the ability to quickly assess men and situations. The years have rolled on and he now ranks amongst the top wealthiest men in the country. He doesn’t need the political arena for self-gratification or acclaim but for what he proudly believes in; preserving the traditions, values, stability, and prosperity of this country. My father brought me up to understand that this was the best little country in the world but we needed to look after it. We have failed miserably. Let’s hope we can rebuild and uphold what is left and look forward to a better future for the next generation. From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate. LIKE Les Arnott (The Yorkshire Post, September 29), I fancy many of us would like to know more about Ukip. Watching the BBC’s coverage of their recent conference in Doncaster, the mindless chanting of “Ukip, Ukip, Ukip” was reminiscent of those old 1930s newsreels in which disenchanted Germans were seduced and reduced into endlessly chanting “Seig heil”. Picture a distant scenario, in which France and Germany rescue us from some power-crazed nightmare. It couldn’t possibly happen here, could it? From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds. WELL, Mark Reckless is really aptly named. His reasons for defecting to Ukip are spurious to say the least. How can he have expected David Cameron to fulfil all the Tory manifesto promises when he is in coalition with a party that doesn’t agree with most of them? Deluded, rather than Reckless, would be a more appropriate name. From: Ruthven Urquhart, High Hunsley, Cottingham. IT is indeed sad, and especially for his party, thatEd Miliband clearly hadn’t learnt his lines for his vital conference speech, so it’s a good job he never became an actor! Perhaps he should employ a prompter when he next speaks to the world on such major political issues! From: J Hutchinson, Kirkbymoorside. I WOULD like to ask the Prime Minister this question: if the country is doing so well why have we got over two million unemployed? A life of privilege? From: Geoffrey Searstone, Moor Lane, York. YORK Council leader James Alexander has already labelled homeowners “privileged” but now Ed Miliband tells us that we are not only privileged, but the generation that never had it so good. A Labour leader quoting Tory leader Harold Macmillan. My, my, things must be getting desperate! If only we had known how lucky we were in the golden days of the 1950s and ‘60s. There we were, sat in front of the single coal fire of our terraced house in the east end of Sheffield, listening to the draught blowing under the doors, all together watching the 12in black and white television. I say black and white, more like 50 shades of grey. If only dad would stop coughing we’d be able to hear it as well as see it. In those days, ‘flu and bronchitis went together like Blair and Brown or Cameron and Osborne. But never mind, it’s Friday night, time to get the tin bath down from the attic. With a bit of luck by the time I get in after mum, dad and big brother the water will still be on the warm side of tepid. Us oldies didn’t need much incentive did we? Work hard and save hard was our life ethic. Funny at the time, didn’t think we were joining the privileged property owning classes did we? Go on James and Ed, tell us again how lucky we were to have lived in such a golden age. War on IS is not West’s job From: Trev Bromby, Hull. WITH reference to Iraq, Syria and IS, yes to boots on the ground. Make those boots on Saudi Arabian, Iranian, Turkish and all surrounding lands who will be the next target for IS attention. Yes, bomb IS – but make sure those bombs, and bombers, are Middle Eastern. Damn the USA, the self-appointed world sheriff for dragging deputy Dave into battle. From: Max Nottingham, St Faith’s Street, Lincoln. WAR... it is a case of here we go again, and again (for my age group). War-war has replaced jaw-jaw. I am not sure about right or wrong, but there is a sense of inevitability about it. David Cameron will have considered the effect it will have on his chances of winning the general election. That is a political truth which dare not speak its name.