AS a Smithills local election candidate I was troubled to read your report of suspected electoral fraud in Smithills (The Bolton News, April 5).

Smithills Labour Party has no hesitation in condemning the unscrupulous behaviour reported.

Such tactics have no place in local politics in Bolton. We offer our sincere sympathy to Cllr Roger Hayes and hope that he has not been too upset by this disgraceful episode.

We hope that those responsible will be identified and dealt with appropriately.

Labour has put its policies to local people and the LibDems have done likewise and it is on this basis that Smithills voters will make their decision on May 3. They should not be distracted by any anti-democratic behaviour.

We have fought our campaign upon the issues that matter to people, such as the LibDem role in Government in aiding and abetting the Tories in their attack on welfare and living standards.

As recent letters to The Bolton News show, the people of Smithills have had enough of LibDem policies that are hitting the disabled, working families, students and pensioners, as well as cutting police from our streets and nurses from the NHS.

The final straw for many was Cllr Hayes’ warm support of the recent “Millionaire’s Budget”.

Kevin Morris The Labour Party candidate Smithills Ward