I READ with astonishment Tory MP Anne McIntosh's plea for increased benefits for carers (June 15). If Anne McIntosh now cares so much about carers, why didn't the Conservatives do anything for them during their 18 years of government?

In her own constituency, the Vale of York, Anne McIntosh has failed to extend a caring hand to constituents desperate to prevent the closure of an eight-bed National Health Service Community Unit for the Elderly (CUE) in Easingwold built only six years ago!

The great sadness to our community is that our nearest residential care for those unlucky enough to become severely mentally ill in their old age is in CUEs around York - an inaccessible trip by bus and a round trip of up to 40 miles by car.

The many carers that this closure affects must be very puzzled by this hypocrisy.

Vivien Lancaster,

Uppleby,

Easingwold.