YORK needs to be afraid. Very afraid.

Our MPs and councillors need to be afraid. Very afraid.

We are in unchartered political times. York is becoming the graveyard of ambition and a very low wage economy.

I am paranoid about the army closure in York and Strensall with the loss of yet more jobs.

I see it as a tipping point as, from Roman times, York has been a garrison city.

Imphal should be retained for employment.

Now, we just seem to be a story of decline.

A few hundred boxes, sorry, houses, on Imphal Barracks will bring York to a complete standstill as the A19 is overwhelmed now.

We’ve lost the railway headquarters, Terry’s, the carriageworks (a monumental travesty), Cooke, Troughtman and Simms and many others.

All these companies offered apprenticeships, a career structure and high pay.

Hugh Bayley was the Labour MP for 23 years and it was on his watch - so what is his legacy and the Labour-run council?

Were they happy to stifle aspiration and ambition in case they lost their seats?

The Rowntree’s site is only half used.

We need visionaries like Hudson, Leeman, Rowntree or Terry.

Perhaps York should be re-named Eborsleepum because we are sleepwalking into oblivion.

York needs to get out of its slumber, wake up and get moving forward.

Keith Massey, Bishopthorpe, York