SIR: I take it as something of a compliment to discover that the only criticism my political opponents can come up with of me is that I was on strike in 1979.

I can only say in reply that I have been employed by Beloit Walmsley for a total of 28 years and, for the last 18 years, I have been annually elected as the works convenor at Bolton, so I must be doing something right.

In reply to Mr Twyford's question as to where my loyalties lie, I can only respond by saying that I am loyal to those increasing numbers of people who suffer injustice and discrimination in modern society. And I make no apologies for fighting on their behalf, be it within the trade unions or elsewhere.

David Crausby,

Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate,

Bolton North East,

560 Manchester Road, Bury.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.