IN the Malvern Gazette (October 25) front page item "£1.25m plea for new M50 access" the final sentence reads "Sir Michael Spicer is also supporting the bid for an M50 slip road". This support is reiterated in the Upton news item on page 4 of the same issue.

However, on page 15 of your November 8 issue Sir Michael is quoted as supporting the scheme to raise the road leading to the bridge at Upton, describing the new M50 access as "unnecessary".

Perhaps if he had initiated local consultation, even if only with local representatives of his own party at parish and district level, before dashing off on his charger to Westminster, he wouldn't have found himself championing the wrong cause.

The change of direction reflects a trend I observe, practiced by both the major parties, which is to trim the sails of their policies to catch every latest shift in the wind of public opinion.

Mr A F Watts, Three Counties Park, Sledge Green.