SIR: I refer to Christine Adams' vitriolic attack (BEN, January 22) on David Young MP. David has been a loyal Member of Parliament, with a good voting record, and of the Labour Party for many years. For the past 18 years he has been on the Opposition benches and not in a position, therefore, to influence Conservative Government Policy or bring investment to Bolton. Before going into opposition, it was David Young who led a vigorous campaign to improve Bolton's hospitals. If the Labour Government had been returned in 1979, I am sure that new hospital facilities would have arrived in Bolton sooner than they did.

I did not say at the Farnworth meeting that I had worked hard for David in the past (when he was MP for the Bolton East Constituency) "in order to follow in his footsteps". My decision to offer myself as a prospective candidate at the next General Election was only made in the Autumn of 1994 following a lot of discussions with friends and colleagues in the Labour Party. In the end, Bolton SE Constituency Labour Party made the decision.

I wonder why Christine Adams made no comment when Peter Thurnham defected from her Party to the Liberal Democrats or when Tom Sackville recently blocked Audrey Wise's Bill to take into account the "wind chill factor" in order to trigger cold weather payments on fuel for the elderly and disabled?

Cllr Brian Iddon

Prospective Parliamentary Candidate

Bolton SE CLP

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