Councillor Kevin Allen’s letter (The Argus, April 9) cannot go unchallenged.

It represents exactly the attitude that is turning voters away from the ballot box.

The petty sniping between the main parties, especially locally, has reached a level that is unacceptable.

As a floating voter I despair when I see letters and quotes from councillors such as Mary Mears, Gill Mitchell, Geoffrey Theobald and Warren Morgan blaming the other party for the ills of the city and country.

It is time to stop the childish slanging matches and confrontational attitudes that would not be out of place in a school playground. Our politicians’ maturity should clearly be questioned.

As a direct response to Keith Allen, it is equally shameful that our Labour MPs take expenses for second homes as it is for the local Conservative MPs, regardless of the amount.

Thousands of local residents have no choice but to commute to London to work and none of them are able to claim for a second home.

It’s disgraceful that any politician within 100 miles of Parliament could even think of claiming for a second home. Proud of our local MPs? Ashamed more like.

It is time for consensus politics to help the voters of this city and country.

Councillors and politicians need to grow up. Maybe we should have a box on the voting slips allowing us to vote for none of the above. Then again all three of my previous suggestions are less likely to happen than the Albion winning the Champions League.

Ian Slater
Park Rise, Hove