Good to see Mayor raise awareness of stammering - Yorkshire Post Letters

I am not a follower of The Traitors, but I do try to keep abreast of all the excellent work that David Skaith, the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, is involved with. His work and achievements are very wide-ranging covering housing, adult skills funding, transport, regeneration of our high streets, neighbourhood policing, and moorland fire prevention.

When I have heard him speak, David Skaith comes across as a very energetic, committed, honest and realistic person, not making the vague promises so often in evidence with politicians.

His personal honesty and transparency were very clearly expressed in his praise for a contestant on The Traitors, Jessie Stride, who has a stammer, revealing the fact that he himself has a stammer. One can only imagine how difficult this must be for our mayor who must have to speak in public every day.

The charity STAMMA praised both Jessie Stride for raising awareness of stammering, and her fellow contestants for showing sensitivity and patience in “just waiting to let her speak”. This is in sharp contrast to the mocking, from some members of the opposition, that Ed Balls, as a minister, received at times in the House of Commons when speaking at the Dispatch Box. One must hope that greater awareness of this impediment will improve understanding and sensitivity.