I am astonished and disgusted by the recent deal between the Conservative government and the Democratic Unionist Party, as are many local people.

The fact that it can be legal for the Conservative Party, who did not win enough seats in the election to form a Government, yet they can make a deal to pay £1bn of taxpayers, money to the DUP, to literally buy their agreement to support the Government, beggars belief. It indicates just how far removed British politics is from fair democracy.

Imagine it was the Lib-Dems or Ukip that the Conservatives had paid £1bn to, in order to keep themselves in Govern­ment. Or if Labour offered the SNP £1bn for Scotland, to prop them up to make a Govern­ment. Would UK citizens object more vocally if that was the case?

This taxpayers’ money clearly should be available for public services which badly need it and not to prop up a failing Government.

I find it extraordinary that this has taken place.

I am also dismayed that our MP, Sarah Wollaston, has not spoken out within her party on this matter.

When our Government cannot lift the cap on pay for NHS, police, fire and other public service staff, and are cutting education to an unmanageable budget for non-academy schools, how can any MP accept £1bn disappearing from public funds in this manner.

Dr Wollaston appears to have strayed far from her values and commitment to the public, in allowing this £1bn pay-off to another political party and at the same not supporting a pay increase for public sector on the grounds that there is not enough money!

A few days later she voted against allowing a pay increase for struggling public service staff like nurses, policemen and firefighters, all of whom are so stretched and giving so much already to providing safety and health in our communities.

On her website she states her reason for her vote was there would not be enough money to pay them – £1bn could considerably help our underfunded public services. A former GP, I fear Dr Wollaston’s priorities have shifted to hanging on to her position rather than representing public interest, health or safety.

Only one Conservative MP, Heidi Allen, had the decency to speak out in the House of Commons, saying “the gap between people’s lives and the decision makers in here, has grown too wide”, and “I must put on record my distaste for the use of public funds to garner political control. Our party did not need to do this”."

At what point does the public say “enough is enough”?

Karen Benson

Meadowbrook

Totnes