People are here to stay

Our own city, Sunderland, has become a much more diverse and interesting place in which to live with lots of nationalities, helped, of course, by the polytechnic expanding into a university under the Conservative Government of the day, nearly 25 years ago.

Added to that are thousands of others who have come to work, start a family and set up businesses here.

We are a developing, welcoming, city and hopefully nothing is going to change that.

However, any politician or community leader for example, usually from the left, who gives out lectures that people who have not the slightest intention of working or pay tax, should be welcomed here with open arms because we should feel sorry for them, are the types who have played a large part in hardening the views of many throughout the city and the country.

And, of course, these occupiers of a utopian world are the first to complain about the Conservative Government’s efforts to repair the economic damage done by Labour on excessive welfare payments, without having the remotest ideas, when pressed, as to where all the money is to come from for other essential services.

However, with a certain volatility in the air we need, in my opinion, to display fairness and decency to all of those among us whatever their colour, religion or background, who are here to contribute to make our cities better places in which to live.

The country and our city may well have voted Leave, but whatever was promised by their campaign, these working people are here to stay.

Coun Michael Dixon

Conservative