THE rise of UKIP, which your correspondent Paul Wilson (Times, October 2) seems to fear so much, is easy to understand. UKIP expresses the concerns of so many ordinary people, who are finding themselves disenfranchised. They feel let down by an elite that has scant regard for their real needs. And they are at it again, already making promises they are unlikely to fulfill. Don't we ever learn? Taking the issues that really concern us: Immigration and our porous borders. The Human Rights Act, that prevents us from deporting undesirables. Our subservience to European Union bureaucrats, at huge cost. If these are considered important — why hasn't our present government been doing something about them during the past four and a half years? Character assassination is easy, Mr Wilson. The gaffs of the main parties could fill columns. But should 'backward looking' be condemned? UKIP stands for good old British traditional Christian values that served us so well in the past. Instead of disparaging UKIP, let's give them a chance to succeed where the main parties have significantly failed over many years. Terence Scarborough Uplands Tavistock REGARDING the letter in last weeks Times from Mr Wilson. He states that UKIP and its members are not what they seem. I think he should worry more about the other three parties because they are what they seem. All three being led by leaders who are all very rich. All had university education free unlike my grandchildren, all representing parties and have only worked for their parties and themselves whilst my country is getting worse. The last lot left us with no money, uncontrolled immigration and an illegal war. The Lib Dems are not really worth talking about as they would join anyone to achieve power. Lastly Cameron — I would not trust him to run a corner shop. We haven't much of a choice have we Mr Wilson? D P Hunter Tavistock PARTY politics is not a subject I expect from the Times, so it was annoying to find an anti-UKIP rant among last week's letters of­ local interest. Methinks those feeling threatened by Nigel Farage's popularity doth protest too much! M Challis Buckland Monachorum.