As a member of the older generation, I would like to appeal to everyone in our age group not to let the electioneering hype obscure the great steps forward that we have enjoyed during the past four years.

Pensions have increased by £8 for couples and £5 for singles. We now collect an extra £200 a year for our heating bills. For those over 75, the TV licence is free. Those of us who are disabled or care for disabled relatives have had our allowances substantially increased.

Remember the Thatcher/ Major era, when we were left in no doubt we had outlived our usefulness?

I remember 40p pension increases, thousands of houses being repossessed and dole queues of millions. And I haven't forgotten some of us chaining our wheelchairs to Downing Street railings in deperation.

On June 7, don't swap the goose which keeps laying the golden eggs for the fox which would eat goose, eggs and all.

-John Hoey, Colbourne Road, Hove