I AM so, so bored. I suspect that I will not be alone.

I am referring, of course, to the exhausting experience of yet another election. Amidst the usual deluge of manifestos, which contain promises that are seldom met, scant attention is paid to one of the biggest crises for decades.

Our little island has become the target of much illegal immigration. We have so little space for accommodation – just a quick look at the recent housing expansion in Basingstoke alone shows how our green belt is being consumed, just to meet pre-existing needs.

This serious issue is receiving little attention from the established parties. Last week alone, 24 boats arrived on our shores, with nearly 1,500 immigrants, who had put their lives at enormous risk. Where are they going to be housed? Already, some well-known hotels have been taken over – at an alarming cost to us taxpayers.

Thus, a vote for one of the usual parties will not change this desperate situation. Britain urgently needs a permanent voice that will start to extricate our country from this dilemma - a challenge that few politicians want to discuss publicly.

Think before you complete your voting paper.

Hugh Sawyer

Foyle Park

Basingstoke

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