CLR Roy Smith (letter, March 1) has honestly shocked me and my colleagues with his vague accusations and typical Liberal Democrat sniping from the sidelines.

I would like to raise a number of points; first, what facts did I get wrong? I would like an apology for this inaccurate statement.

Second, the point I was making is that taxes have gone up again but services are still just as bad. You cannot keep saying we need to tax more and spend more to solve problems. We need to look at the problem and develop constructive solutions, not just throw money at a black hole.

Third, your response to every problem is to tax more; do you intend to let the British people spend any of their own money or just keep it all for the state? We already have a Labour Party that taxes more and delivers less. If you want to retain your own identity as a political party you must develop your own policies. If you continue to be Labour's poodles you might as well join them.

In fact, why don't you?

JAMES USHER

Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate