On Wednesday, April 15, I was coming down Brigadier Hill to collect my children from St Michael’s CE School and outside I saw Joan Ryan with three of her colleagues with numerous red helium balloons, stickers and leaflets, targeting parents/children/carers as they left the school.

I am completely outraged that such tactics are being used by our Labour candidate and I think it is a cheap shot. I feel very uncomfortable that political candidates feel it is acceptable to target schoolchildren with balloons in an attempt to win votes.

Ms Ryan was asked to move on by the headteacher and deputy but argued her case for standing outside a primary school saying “we do it to every school in the constituency and we only do it the once... there is a shortfall in young mums voting and I want to change that”.

Has it become acceptable for politicians today to canvas the voters through such underhand means? The feeling amongst a lot of parents the following day was of how it had been totally inappropriate and a little intimidating being accosted with stickers and leaflets as they left the school premises and also that she has potentially lost votes rather than gained them.

Food for thought Ms Ryan.

A parent at St Michael’s CE School

Name and address supplied