I AM very sorry, but a letter from the Chair of Bolton West Conservative Association denying they are behind attacks on Ruth Kelly will not do (April 24).

Many of the people who have written in are known Conservatives and, as the local candidate, James Stevens must take responsibility for these gutter tactics.

In the Daily Telegraph newspaper last week, it reeled off a list of issues which Miss Kelly has been involved in on top of her work with Nick Brown, most of which will shape this Government's policies. I am pretty certain that Brian Iddon and David Crausby will not have been involved in such activities hence their time sat in the Chamber of the House of Commons.

James Stevens is highly regarded in many circles and could be a future MP. If this was the case, I would expect him to be playing a serious role behind the scenes shaping this country, rather than plodding through the Chamber every time there is a vote. I would be disappointed if he celebrated, like Dr Iddon, the fact that he has spent more time voting than any other MP. I want my MP to be either in Bolton or influencing this country, not sat on his or her backside. What Mr Woolly seems to misunderstand is that, while this gutter-sniping has been going on, Mr Stevens has missed countless opportunities to tell voters how his party would govern this country. All we read about is racists and extremists in the Conservative ranks, and I'm afraid the way they have hounded a young female MP for no apparent reason except the fact that she dared bring a child into this world leaves me to conclude that, as a former Conservative voter, I am not yet ready to place my cross in the Conservative candidate's box.

Mrs Dorothy Brady

Newbrook Road, Atherton