MY wife has just read to me the reply from Mrs Howcroft in The Journal Mailbox (July 11).

What a surprise! What a novelty! To hear that the Conservatives believe in the democratic process. Was it not her party, when in government, who took us out of Lancashire and put us in to Greater Manchester? Was it not her party, when in government, that disposed of Greater Manchester and left us without a county? We were not allowed a vote against that demographic change.

Is it not her party, that are to announce that Trade Unions in certain categories are having the right to withdraw their labour taken away from them? This, despite Mrs Thatcher's punitive legislation which allowed the same unions to conduct a ballot before withdrawal of labour could be considered.

Tories don't like losing ballots and will change goal posts whenever they feel it necessary. John Major withdraws his labour every time he cannot get his way in Europe. Mrs Howcroft goes on to say that the Labour party do not field local candidates. I suggest she employs a more informed person. Mr Cunliffe, the incumbent, hails from two to three miles north east of my home in Tyldesley. If she comes down from her ivory tower and reads a local map, she would notice a place called Farnworth, a district of Bolton which adjoins Tyldesley. How local can you get?

As for myself, I am not a member of any party. I do not wish to complain, that is not in my nature, but I will say to Mrs Howcroft and others who believe as she does, that I am totally blind, have Meniere's disease, which means that I can go deaf at any time, and have a heart and blood problem. Add to this that my wife is hemiplegic, so what chance have I of pursuing a career in politics.

Nevertheless, the Tories have not gagged the local Press, who allow me and others the right to express our honest opinions. Mrs Howcroft admits one thing, that local Tories are not good enough. That is why they have picked a man from Reading. He may be a Mr Young, but he will be an "Old Mister" before he stands as a local MP. Until that time he will be a man reading comics - the Tory manifesto.

F.Parkinson

Tyldesley

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