THERE seems to be three main areas to consider in the forthcoming election: Brexit, climate change and funding for our public services.

In our Westmorland and Lonsdale area there are two parties who will provide an opportunity to review Brexit and maybe stop it and two who are promoting Prime Minister Johnson's withdrawal agreement. This agreement will not be "Getting Brexit done" but followed by years of negotiations on our future relationships and a potential no-deal situation at the end of 2020 costing the UK £28 billion a year (three times our current annual net payments for EU membership). Johnson’s agreement puts a customs border down the Irish Sea and seriously threatens the Union.

The leaders of the Brexit Party and the Conservatives didn’t even bother to turn up to a recent leaders' TV debate on climate change. The two slowly melting ice sculptures created in their place probably had more to say anyway.

On public services the Brexit Party only cares about Brexit. The Tory manifesto includes spending plans that will mean our investment in public services in 2023-24 will still be 14 per cent below 2010 levels. The Lib Dems plan to be about the same as 2010 levels, and Labour spending based on tax increases for the wealthy and more borrowing will be well above those levels.

Current spending by this Conservative government on public services is just under 40 per cent of GDP; under Labour in 2007 it was 42.6 per cent, then the global banking crisis hit. Bailing out the irresponsible banks pushed up spending to 49.4 per cent of GDP in 2009. Blaming Labour for this global crisis is just a small part of the twisted political propaganda machine we see in the UK. Our public service spending is low compared to some of our European partners (or competitors depending on how one looks at the world). Current levels in France are 56.4 per cent, Italy 48.9 per cent, Germany 43.9 per cent. Even Labour's spending plans would only move us towards these European norms.

Comparing these numbers, one can see why our "cut-to-the-bone" public services are under such pressure. One has to question how a government can dramatically improve the public services most of us rely on without increasing spending from historically low levels. It is just not honest to say they can.

These are some of the choices available to us on December 12. We need to use our votes wisely and maybe vote tactically to get the results we want.

John Wright

Kendal