THEY used to say ‘Government by the people, for the people’. But what we seem to have ended up with is ‘Government by the Government for the Government.’ What the people want doesn’t seem to matter — and who is it that is paying for all this Government?

I get the feeling that the same thing is happening with local governments, too.

Those in power are out of touch with real life. We’ve lots of schemes, plans and project applications put in for grants, but are they what the people want?

What folk need are jobs, security and, more importantly, their country to stay their own country and not turned into some foreign land that is not only unfamiliar, but frightening.

We need to feel and know that those in charge are looking after our interests first and foremost and not constantly putting themselves, other people and other countries’ concerns and problems before our own.

I know that one must show compassion and give a helping hand — but there are limits and we seem to have gone far beyond those long ago.

We know that people, after travelling thousands of miles across several countries and, in many cases seas, end up camping on the coast of France, waiting to get over the Channel. Why?

It’s certainly not because of our strong pound and I don’t think it’s the weather!

No, we all know why. It’s because we have that soft underbelly called the welfare state, where anyone can draw out even when they have put nothing in.

We are known throughout the world as a soft touch. Not the reputation that demands respect, more like ridicule.

What’s the answer? Clamp down on all illegal immigrants.

It’s not going to be easy as our chief legal minister, Baroness Scotland, found out when she failed to notice that one was in her employ!

But this problem must be tackled seriously and must be tackled now!

Perhaps if all the freeloaders were sent home we wouldn’t need those cuts in the NHS and education that are being considered.