I AM dismayed at the current level of political debate as displayed in your letters page.

First we have the UKIP candidate trying to make capital out of the fact that his Labour opponent was chosen from a women-only shortlist.

Then we have the Labour candidate somewhat outraged that the sitting MP parked in a disabled space outside his constituency office.

So far nothing from the sitting MP, apart from the occasional ‘good PR’ snippet on the news pages.

Where is the serious debate?

I see no evidence of it.

There are major concerns about such policies as the future of the NHS, the welfare state and in particular the obnoxious bedroom tax, which will ring a bell with practically every voter in Weaver Vale, Eddisbury and Tatton.

But what is not ringing the bell is HS2.

The £80 billion-plus white elephant that will not serve the voters of Mid Cheshire, that will require continuing operating subsidies if the experience of HS1 is anything to go by.

The HS2 bell should be deafening every current and future voter in Mid Cheshire.

How many are aware that that this project will cost each working family on average £2,500 for every year of their taxpaying lives?

How many know that thousands of acres of irreplaceable farmland will be destroyed by its construction?

How many voters realise the damaging environmental impact?

Even if you live well away from the proposed route the likelihood of you using HS2, if it ever gets built, is remote.

Rest assured it will still have an effect on the amount of tax you will pay for years to come.

If, like me, you are aware of all the arguments for and against and, like me, have decided that HS2 is a white elephant, then question the candidates closely as to whether they will vote for or against HS2.

So it is over to you, the voter.

I am certain that there are no votes to be gained by supporting HS2!

Ewen Simpson Whatcroft