I’m astonished that so many voters here in Oxford West & Abingdon are thinking abut so-called “tactical voting” when the differences between the parties are so great and the issues really matter.

The party pushing for tactical voting suggests it’s the only way to keep the Conservatives out of office, yet their leader has openly stated he wants to carry on with the existing coalition. So a vote for the Lib Dems is a vote for the Tories.

People must decide for themselves but I would urge undecided voters to consider two major issues for Oxford and the country. Labour is the only major party opposing a dangerous referendum on pulling out of Europe. This would be disastrous for Britain in the period leading up to the referendum and catastrophic if we pull out.

The other issue is the privatisation of the NHS, which the coalition partially brought in via the misnamed Health and Social Care Act. While Labour will repeal this Act, the Tories clearly want to privatise the whole NHS and would doubtless be supported by the supine Lib Dems.

These two issues alone should encourage all thinking voters to vote Labour.

And at a time when politicians are accused of being out of touch with real people, only Labour has a candidate with a proper job and a family who is grounded in the every day struggles of ordinary folk.

STUART SKYTE
Plater Drive
Oxford