At this time in the political cycle, political activists show their support for candidates by writing to the local press, whitewashing their favoured party's record and that of the person they support if it is the incumbent MP.

Not being a member of a political party and having voted for three different parties in the last 30 years depending on my location and their policies (and not mis-placed party 'loyalty') I have no such axe to grind. I merely wish to disabuse your readers about the errors in (Ms) Joyce Thomas's description of Jesse Norman. He is variously described as having "an independent streak" and someone who "will not be told what to do."

As with all MPs one can view their voting record online. Mr Norman's is one of party loyalty rather than independence having voted according to party lines over 99.9% of the time and thus according to party whip's instructions. He has voted once against the government in over 800 times he has voted, and once he initially either made a mistake and ended up voting both 'aye'AND 'nay' or merely wasted the tellers time by being counted twice rather than abstain.

In correspondence with Mr Norman, I have posed specific questions on a number of occasions that have never been answered; I have merely received apparently 'pro forma' replies that show he's ignoring those in this 'democracy' he supposedly represents who challenge his (or the party's) views.

I have yet to decide for whom I will vote, but my vote will be cast for the party I feel will do best for Britain. There are parties for whom I will not and will never vote, but whatever your readers' views I would plead with them to vote and make their vote count. If you don't vote you've got no one other than yourselves to blame if you don't like the result.

Respectfully yours,

Simon Rosser, Ross