YOUR correspondent, David Armstrong, must sit in splendid isolation somewhere out on the right of the political spectrum from where his view of reality is somewhat obscured.

He rails about the Liberal Democrats and accuses them of patronising young voters, writing off people over 50, being soft on crime and of having "changed their tune" to increase Council Tax by almost 10 per cent.

The Liberal Democrats is an inclusive party that neither patronises nor writes off any section of society. The party's home affairs policy is aimed at substantially strengthening the police force and there is nowhere around this part of the world where they have imposed a 10 per cent increase in Council Tax.

From his use of the tired, old 'wasted vote' canard, he either has a very long memory or is so new to the political scene that he has no memory at all.

Far from being a wasted vote, a vote for the Liberal Democrat has elected people to every level of government - from parish to county and from Westminster to Brussels.

I forecast the people of West Worcestershire will underline just how wrong Mr Armstrong is . . . by electing a Liberal Democrat MP.

JAMES GALLAGHER, Worcester Road, Malvern.