ALBERT Hornby asks me if, after reading his views, I still believe his assessment of MP Ruth Kelly's chances at the next election are "nonsense".

In a word, Albert -- yes.

Ruth Kelly is a bright young lady. She knows she has the ability to do very well at Westminster, and she intends to do very well. And if that means having to back the Government in everything they do, I do not doubt for a minute that this is what she will do.

Ruth is a career politician and will, when the time is right, leave Bolton for a safer seat. It has been done before, we all know that.

But, at the moment, the voters of Bolton West, have, I am sure, far more confidence in Ruth Kelly and the Labour Government than they have in James Stevens and the tottering Tories. James Stevens -- the man who believes the solution to perverts in toilets is to knock the toilets down. I suppose his solution, then, to badly-behaved children in schools would be to knock the schools down!

Ruth Kelly will walk in at the next election, but, as Albert says, there are a lot of people, mainly pensioners, in Bolton West who are not as happy as they could be with Mrs Kelly. She should remember this, for things might not be quite so rosy should we get, at some time in the future, an opposition worth its salt.

But, of course, if that happens, Mrs Kelly would follow Mrs Taylor -- to greener pastures.

Brian Derbyshire

Ribchester Grove,

Bolton.