SIR – After 45 years, I still regret not defending a former classmate forced by playground bullies to perform tricks.

Nick Clegg was so popular after the leaders’ debates. Bullies attacked his weakness of agreeing to Tory plans to increase Labour’s tuition fees (no matter that Lib-Dem concessions have wrecked the fees, according to some).

“Liar!” “Traitor!” Mud-slinging by left-wing bullies makes me as very reluctant to work with Labour as the Tories. Grown-up politics may demand it. “Treacherous” Labour in Government increased income tax for the poorest workers, did nothing about the privatised rip-offs and little about political reform. They welcomed rampant house price inflation negating wage/benefit increases of renters and house-buyers alike.

Tory Lord Ashcroft recognises that election victory will depend on winning over hundreds of voters in marginal constituencies. UKIP’s Nigel Farage hopes to capitalise on this benefit of “first-past-the-post” voting. Another hung parliament is still unlikely.

With fewer years left on this Earth than most, should I care about the democratic deficit and down-treading of the poor by Tories and Labour alike?

John Hall, Pennithorne Avenue, Baildon