Commission itself called for voter ID

Vikki Slade of the Dorset Liberal Democrats, (Feb 24), is being highly selective when she quotes the Electoral Commission’s statement that ‘there is no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud’ in the UK.

What she neglects to mention is that it was the Electoral Commission itself which called for a system of voter ID at polling stations which the present Government now proposes to introduce and which she so vociferously attacks.

As it happens, I share her misgivings about the exclusion of the student travel card from the list of acceptable forms of identification - and my overall feeling is that the planned ID reforms should be postponed until the general election after next to allow more time for a crossparty consensus on the issue to be established.

But none of this excuses Ms Slade’s attempt to use this subject to whip up a conflict between the older and younger generations, which is what some elements in society have been trying to do since the Brexit referendum.

My experience down the years is that the various generations living in this country share the same priorities and values - a belief in fairness, tolerance and freedomeven if there might be occasional differences of opinion about how these aims can be achieved.

If the voters that Ms Slade meets reject the philosophy of shared values, then she must be talking to a very narrow and unrepresentative section of the population.

It’s a bit like asking Labour’s Momentum group or the Tories’ Cornerstone group to give an unbiased opinion on the Liberal Democrats. You are highly unlikely to get a balanced response.

Chloe Hill Wimborne

Generous with the generators

You’re invited to village fun

Sixpenny Handley

Community Cinema

Fisherman’s Friends: One and All Village Hall, Common Road SP5 5NJ.

Friday, March 17, 7.00pm, £5. Bar / Snacks / Ice creams n Information: 6dhandleyhall@ gmail.com

Along with tons of other donated goods, three badlyneeded generators have been loaded on a lorry which set out for Ukraine.

Friends from Ringwood U3A raised enough money to send two, and the generator manufacturer, MSS Tools, donated a third for free. By now they will have been allocated to a hospital, an orphanage or to people who are spending every night in an air raid shelter or cellar with no heating, no light or no means of providing hot food, because their electricity supply has been cut off by the bombing.

The picture shows Karol Swiaki, of the Ukraine Relief Charity, with Ann Duckworth and Judith Purssell of Ringwood U3A.

Hazel Taylor Ringwood

Sixpenny Handley Craft Fair & Teas

Village Hall, Common Road SP5 5NJ n Information: 6dhandleyhall@ gmail.com

Saturday, March 25, 10am-1pm, Free entry Crafts / Hot drinks / Homemade cakes.

Mill needs ‘crafters in the rafters’

Following reorganisation at Wimborne’s historic riverside building, Walford Mill Educational Trust is now offering creative studio space in the historic listed building with origins dating back to the 16th century. Both public-facing and secluded areas are available. The charity-run art and craft gallery provides free admission to the public between Wednesday and Sunday every week and holds regular additional exhibitions. April will feature ‘Her Story’, an outreach sculpture project with QE School.

For more information see walfordmillcrafts.co.uk or call 01202 841400.

Greg Hoar Walford Mill