IREAD with great interest and abhorrence, the article in The Bolton News on Friday April 6, 2007, regarding the Lib Dems' failure to put any candidates forward for the upcoming Westhoughton town council elections.

Everyone who reads The Bolton News knows that they have failed to turn up for council meetings for over a year now, and the much publicised wranglings following Cllr Wilkinson being found guilty of misconduct and also the closure of the drop-in centre. However, I write to correct the misleading quotes from Cllr Wilkinson.

He claims that the decision not to put anyone forward is because of the alleged abuse of Cllr Halliwell. This is not true. I am a Liberal Democrat member and the decision was taken by him alone after no-one in his select band would stand.

The general public have a right to know that there were Liberal Democrats willing to stand for town council, but that we were not allowed.

Everyone knows that the way to fight something you don't agree with is from within. If things on the town council are so bad (which I for one know they are not) why isn't he taking the position of attempting to win the council back?

As a member I am ashamed, and after 30 years of voting for them I can't say I'm sure this time round.

J Norris, Pinfold Close, Westhoughton