IN respect of the couple from Ringwood who cheated the benefit system, it does seem to me hypocritical of Desmond Swayne, MP for New Forest West, to say: “My gut view is that cheating for benefits is a serious matter and that message needs to be sent through the sentencing system.

“There is nothing more infuriating for people who are working hard themselves and up against it, having to pay their bills, having to struggle, than seeing other people cheat the system. It is only right that it should have been a custodial sentence, preferably a longer one.”

My observation to Desmond is what about MPs’ expenses? Your Conservative colleagues took advantage of ‘we’ taxpayers, using our money to line their pockets.

As for Christopher Chope, representing Christchurch, how much has he claimed in expenses?

It is people like that who set a bad example, and ordinary folk might then think to themselves ‘If they can get away with it, why can’t we?’.

Just for the record, I am not wealthy, nor am I in receipt of any benefits. But I am taxed.

RICHARD GRANT, Burley