IT WASN’T so long ago that the then ‘leader’ of a seemingly bullet-proof Oxfordshire County Council, Keith Mitchell, claimed that all of those ‘oiks’ among us who were – for whatever reason, claiming benefits or living close to the poverty line – themselves probably or entirely at fault for their own lot.

He piously claimed, with no supporting evidence, that those same people were probably always out drinking, smoking or having a bet and that matters of importance should therefore be looked after by ‘real grown-ups’!

With some sweet irony last Thursday, a man who likes a bit of beer and baccy but actually speaks to and so ‘connects with ordinary mortals’ has – from a position of rank outsider – not only fashioned a political party that talks to the public but clearly listens to them.

They’ve clearly gotten a response from it in the ballot box and are now ‘highly fancied’ in future elections with the bookie – what an outrage.

UKIP, it seems, has come up with and offered a product that the indigenous voters of the United Kingdom seem to like very much.

UKIP will be buoyed by all of this and is clearly not going to go away, and now Mr Mitchell himself has pointed out to the Prime Minister that he needs to look after ‘his own back yard’ by becoming and acting more like the ‘ordinary mortal’.

David Cameron and I both live on an estate, the big difference is mine is Cutteslowe and his is in the Cotswolds. Your round DC!

DAVID WILLIAMS, David Walter Close, Oxford