IF MARY Shelley had been around today, she may well have drawn inspiration from the “People’s Austerity”.

She would have marvelled as that amateur social scientist David Cameron applies the jump leads to his creation, the Big Society, proclaiming: “It’s alive... it’s alive.”

There are plenty of horror stories in the UK involving cuts, cuts and more cuts as slasher Osborne goes about his business.

This mad experiment of fiscal prudence is causing widespread distress. Record numbers of unemployed young people mirroring similar percentages in Egypt and elsewhere. NHS bed blocking because of poor care for the elderly and millions of children in poverty.

Nice to see Mr Cameron getting his priorities right with his trade trip to Egypt accompanied by UK arms dealers. Just the thing for democracy, eh Dave?

Talking of democracy, Nick Clegg has his own creation, the AV system of electing MPs. Not popular with the top man, Clegg insists AV will make MPs more accountable.

Never mind the Alternative Vote, what we need is an Alternative Vision. Something in short supply as we head toward council elections.

We may as well bay at the moon and read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein than bother to vote.

T Scaife, Manor Drive, York.