I WAS surprised and disappointed that you decided to publish - on election day - several blatantly political letters. That is not what the letters page is for.

In particular I have real concerns about the letter from Mr Connor in Levens. Without knowing the full and accurate facts behind his comments, this letter seems to me to be part of the nonsense raised by the Labour Party regarding the supposed privatisation of the NHS.

Mr Connor's observations in no way chime with my experiences of the NHS in South Lakeland. A couple of examples: firstly, I have had a cortisone injection given to me at our health centre by the specialist muscular/skeletal nurse and it was all done in a couple of minutes. No health provider would waste the resources of an operating theatre on such a procedure. In any case, the NHS has a clearly defined price list and would not pay the kind of money suggested by Mr Connor.

Secondly, the local clinical commissioning group certainly has not contracted out its orthopaedic service. Both my wife and I have recent experience of being referred to the orthopaedic service in our local trust where our consultations and treatment have been undertaken at both Westmorland General Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

I cannot help but feel Mr Connor was just peddling the political narrative of the Labour Party.

David Thomas

Bowness-on-Windermere