Gabbie S

My MP is a Conservative. I am a Socialist & would never vote Tory - ever. So already I don't feel represented by them. The few times I've contacted them previously, I have received generic party-line responses, which is disheartening. Secondly, even though I m a Socialist - I am not against people being wealthy. What I am against is the taxation system not being equitable. Poorer people bear a disproportionately higher tax burden compared to wealthier people, not by direct income tax, but mainly through poverty premiums - when they pay more for essential goods & services due to their location or lack of income. Furthermore, there is far more tax avoidance than there is benefit fraud, but we in receipt of Social Security are demonised far more than those who avoid paying their fair share. What dismays me the most is that my MP voted against free school meals for children in the holidays, thus contributing to worsening holiday hunger. I feel their stance was totally unjust given the ever-increasing wealth gap between rich & poor. I want to remind my MP that the centre of their constituency is extremely deprived, unable to withstand the ever-increasing tide of the cost of living crisis, whilst the more comfortable & well-off are high enough above the waterline to withstand the oncoming tsunami. We are in the same storm but not all of us has access to a suitable boat to survive. Help support us so we can not only survive, but thrive - it's the right thing to do, not as a politician, as a compassionate human being. Redesign the Social Security system so it works for everyone if they fall on hard times. In addition - I want to remind my MP that those of us living in desperate times didn't plan to be living this life. Absolutely anyone can be swept into poverty through circumstances beyond their control - even them. For me it was escaping domestic abuse whilst on unpaid maternity leave, becoming homeless & having to live in a hostel with my 3 children back in 2005. I tried to go back to work but became permanently disabled in 2011. I'm still trying to hang on in 2023. How can that be right? Yet even though I cannot work, I am still worthy of respect, support & have worth. I am a former Registered General Nurse with a wealth of knowledge, skills & expertise that I can impart to anyone prepared to listen. I also have 3 children who are contributing members of society - my eldest son, now 26 is an technician in the RAF. My middle son is 24 & has 2 jobs whilst he pursues his dream of being a musician with his band. My youngest son, now 18, even though disabled himself, is still studying for a career in welding at the local college & hopes to go into the industry. Support your constituents rather than sanction them. We need stability & security, not sticking plaster solutions. We need you to understand the intersectionality between poverty, health, ethnicity, disability, family breakdown & crime. By solving poverty through fully impact-studied, well considered design, you may find that citizens' physical & mental health improves overall and some folk less inclined to resort to desperate measures to survive. Now that would be an achievement to be proud of.