I AM the leader of Britain's fourth largest political party, the UK Independence Party.

It has come to my attention that Mr Neil Derbyshire, Chairman of North West Liberal Democrats, has written to many north west newspapers making personal criticisms of me and my record in the European Parliament. Please allow me to set the record straight.

He criticises, incorrectly as it happens, as never having spoken at a single Brussels committee meeting.

I deal with Brussels committee meetings by having appointed two senior staff, one of them the well known agriculture and food expert and author, Dr Richard North, to represent me on those committees.

Other members of my staff and my fellow Eurosceptic MEPs of the EDD group from France, Denmark and Holland attend Brussels committees and we regularly meet to try to work out ways of heading-off the worst of the thousands of directives emanating every year from Brussels. As Mr Derbyshire will concede, my record of attending the plenary sessions in Strasbourg is very good and, as he will also know, I have made many speeches on behalf of the British people.

As he also knows, I was elected on a very clear mandate to inform the British people about the true nature of the European Union, including its fundamentally undemocratic nature, its inefficiency, corruption and fraud. I employ a full time constituency assistant and secretary who deal with hundreds of letters a week from all sectors of the business and farming communities and individuals affected more and more by unwelcome Brussels directives.

While other MEPs including - sad to say - British MEPs have misused their MEP allowances, I can lay my hand on my heart and say that every penny is being spent on representing my constituents and fulfilling my election mandate to explain to the British people how our nation is being dismantled in favour of the coming new nation - Europe.

My office produces a huge range of information and my recent speech to the Bruges group on November 4 explains why Britain would be so much better off, both now and in the long-term future, a free and independent nation once again.

Finally, I would caution Mr Derbyshire not to be too triumphant at our recent disappointing showing in the Preston by-election. People are beginning to listen to our message and becoming aware of the extent to which they have been conned about the European project.

Dictated from Strasbourg, where there was a plenary session last week, and signed in his absence.

Jeffrey Titford, MEP

Leader of the UK Independence Party

New London Road

Chelmsford

Essex