WHILE I appreciate Councillor Derek Boden's description of the Labour Conference (Letters, October 19), I think he has completely missed my point.

Like justice, democracy must not only be practised but be seen to be practised. My complaint was that I was prevented from doing so by the lack of comprehensive television coverage. There could be a lot of truth in Derek's account but I would rather have seen it for myself.

For instance, nowhere did he describe the disgraceful instance of one delegate who was evicted from the hall, and subsequently banned for the "serious" offence of remaining seated during the apparently mandatory standing ovation for our Prime Minister.

I am astounded that, as far as I know, not one delegate has supported this man's wife in her protest against this disgraceful act. He openly displayed a card stating that he was "sitting for peace". Apparently we are not even allowed to do this now.

I am grateful to Derek for his report, but it is not a substitute for seeing and hearing the full debates first-hand.

JIM HOMEWOOD