IN last week’s Guardian M McNamee claimed UKIP wants to sell off the NHS. This is a blatant untruth.

It’s our policy to keep the NHS free at the point of delivery. The elephant in the room is that under the last Labour government a big push to outsource operations to the private sector took place.

Now some eight per cent of the Department of Health budget goes to the private sector; Labour was responsible for at least half of that.

I notice M McNamee avoids explaining the massive PFI debts that Labour has landed the NHS and taxpayer with and how they reduce the money Trusts have available to spend on patients.

M McNamee claims UKIP blames foreigners for all our ills and as usual deals the ‘racist’ card when trying to smear an opponent or close down debate.

As the party’s immigration spokesman let me make it crystal clear: I want anyone in the world, regardless of ethnicity, skin colour, gender, sexual orientation or creed to believe they may have the opportunity to work or live in our country, however subject to a strict Australian-type points-based system that will curtail the mass immigration that the Labour Party started.

Dr Peter Hirst’s letter on the EU Referendum is bizarre to say the least. According to him in order to respect the result we need to hold another referendum!

The referendum question couldn’t have been clearer: do you want to remain (in) or leave the EU?

The majority voted to leave having had project fear rammed down their throats for months (including making it very clear that voting Leave would result in leaving the Single Market i.e. membership of it not access to it).

Dr Hirst needs to respect democracy and accept that we’re not going to keep holding referendums until he and the rest of the Remoaners get the answer they want (that’s what the undemocratic EU usually does).

John Bickley Immigration Spokesman UK Independence Party