IN reply to Mr Roger Crossley's arrogant and dictatorial letter to the Packet dated May 12.

Mr Crossley clearly emphasises and reiterates the very reason why David Mudd stood as an independent candidate at the May general election. Sadly, it is this same domination of petty small-mindedness of Mr Crossley, and people like him, that have degraded and demoralised the world of politicians and party politics and reduced it to the despicable, disrespectful, mannerless, inconsiderate, insincere and undemocratic level that it is today. In a true democratic society, it is the absolute right of every individual to think, act and speak as they feel guided by their own conscience to do and this surely should be respected with dignity and genuinely appreciated in good faith and spirit as such.

Mr Mudd has rightfully well earned his (contributory) parliamentary pension by having dedicated himself to fully serving the constituency of Falmouth and Camborne to the very best of his ability for 22 years, and I feel that Mr Crossley should be aware that, although Mr Mudd was a selected Conservative candidate and thus voted to represent the same constituency, he was never at any time a member of the Conservative political party. I would therefore question the accusation of Mr Mudd's "disloyalty" and add that Mr Mudd, at all times, personally chose to put his constituents before any manipulatively controlling dictatorial political party machine. For this he was branded a rebel, and note, for all his 22 years of faithful devoted service, he has acquired no honorary title nor has he been granted a place in the House of Lords. So be the price of conscience!

May I also point out to Mr Crossley, that Mr Mudd's (contributory) parliamentary pension is due to him having served as a politician and further point out that parliamentary pensions are not exclusively granted only to retired Conservative MPs. As for the judgement and inferred condemnation of Mr Mudd's "age," don't you think that is strictly Mr Mudd's business and I would add that he still has more than an adequate professional political ability to generously contribute if he so choses?

Roll on the day when politics become more genuine and honest and politicians become less juvenile and more principled in personal accountability instead of point scoring via sarcastic verbal bullying and critical egocentric cocksureness.

P.S. For all those happy cynics who would wish to believe otherwise, David has no idea that I have written this letter and that, more so, have every intention of sending it to the Packet newspaper.

Mrs D Mudd, The Retreat, Down Park Drive, Tavistock, Devon