AS a concerned member of the general public, I wish to make a response to the letter from Stephen Crabb MP, (Western Telegraph letters, October 9).

Politics has always struggled with the concepts of honour and integrity; after all it is far easier for politicians to make promises than it is to fulfil them.

It is far easier to pass the buck than it is to take responsibility and work towards the task in hand.

It is far more difficult for them to raise their heads above the parapet and be responsible for the people they serve.

I have always respected the result of the EU Referendum and, like most of the British public, struggle to comprehend the absurdness of the political landscape we currently find ourselves in regarding Brexit.

Politicians from all parties have spent an inordinate amount of time jockeying for position, seeing who can shout the loudest, push and shove their way to the front, behaving in a manner that seldom fails to come across as self-seeking and disingenuous and thus, in this climate of unrest and discontent, the art of active listening seems to have been lost.

I'm not sure which members of the public Messrs Crabb and Johnson have purported to speak to, but they're not the people I work with every day.

They are not the elderly or the vulnerable people in our communities who respect justice and fairness.

They are not the people who earn the least and work long and often unsociable hours to make ends meet.

They are probably not the people who have always respected their right to vote in order to uphold democracy for the sake of justice and our personal freedom.

And yes, whilst they might be fed up, angry or disillusioned by Brexit, the people I discuss both local and national issues with have integrity and want what is right for the nation regardless of their voting to Leave or Remain.

If only politicians would take the time to sit civilly with each other and engage in the sort of insightful and inspiring dialogue that I am privileged to hold with people on a daily basis.

Our nation needs unity, and that won't come with the endless haranguing and political put-downs that we are seeing these days in Parliament.

According to Stephen Crabb, whilst the Prime Minister may feel he is reading the public mood well, to have his finger firmly on the pulse of the nation he needs to actively listen.

Forget the photo opportunities and buffoonery and engage honestly with the people on their level.

Only then will our country be able to repair its brokenness and rebuild trust.

People matter more than politicking, and I urge those in positions of power to work together for the good of all.

JOANNA MARVELLY,

Milford Haven