So Theresa May – for security reasons – speaks at a hermetically sealed event in York with all her cronies by her side.

She asks journalists to send their questions in advance before admission. She even questions if someone is a journalist as they don’t have a pen in their hand. She refuses to engage in a head-to-head TV debate. These are facts.

Jeremy Corbyn by contrast speaks in public, allowing access to all and sundry to quiz him on the policy positions of the Labour party.

I ask you one question: what is Theresa May scared of?

Richard Bridge, Holgate Road, York

Get out and meet real voters, May

What a shame that the Prime Minister’s visit to York was so stage-managed that she could only meet members of the Conservative Party behind closed doors, and not real voters from our city and its neighbouring towns and villages.

The voters I’ve been talking to are very concerned about her party’s proposals for cutting budgets for schools in York, the NHS crisis which led to the running down and closure of Bootham Park hospital, and her rush for a Brexit at any costs which will cost us jobs and Britain’s standing abroad. They deserve the chance to air their concerns, not to see the PM squirrelled away only available to her party faithful.

It’s hard to take seriously the idea that she can get the best for Britain out of meetings with European leaders like Angela Merkel, if she can’t face meeting ordinary people here in York or have a proper TV debate with Jeremy Corbyn and Tim Farron.

James Blanchard, Liberal Democrat candidate for York Outer, Nunthorpe Grove, York

Blair and Brown made me switch

IN response to Mr Butterworth (Letters, May 4), he has clearly forgotten Laurel and Hardy, ie Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

One took us into an expensive war costing many lives, the other was “another fine mess” as chancellor and prime minister, costing us billions with his borrowing and financial blunders which still affect our services and the NHS today.

Who could vote for Jeremy Corbyn, who like Oliver Twist would approach the EU with a begging bowl asking for more of the restrictions on farming and fishing and us paying for the privilege?

Like Oliver he would get a good thrashing and be sent on his way.

As for Rachael Maskell, not only did she not support her leader over Article 50 but also many Labour voters in York who voted Leave.

You could write a book about the current Labour party, but it would not have a happy ending.

For the record, for 40 years I voted Labour until Tony Blair’s antics.

I did not vote in the last election, but as sure as June follows May, so will I.

Tom Wilson, Bishopthorpe,York