I VOTED UKIP. I knew they would not win but that was not the point. I had my say and that was the purpose of my turning up to vote.

It’s not a competition where one turns up to vote for a party who might win, neither is it an excuse to not vote because those you believe in will not win.

UKIP have been a strong force within our politicians today of all parties. Many issues were included within them all that would not have been there without UKIP, including the Conservatives promise to hold an EU referendum.

Voting is such an important issue and many people have long died and fought for this right. In the past, only the upper class landowners had that right. The ordinary people fought and died for change. Then there were the women’s suffragettes.

They did the same via many cruel punishments. Yet they won through. Now it appears we need constitutional change over how we vote. How come only the toffs with money and go to Eton get to power over us all?

We desperately need change again but that will not work if people cannot be bothered to vote.

Christine Peters

Wellington Road, Bournemouth