JUDGING from his tirade of abuse against me, I doubt whether your correspondent Mr Buttrey of Warrington has ever supported the Liberal Democrats. We certainly don't want him to do so. Yet he wrote to me in the following terms: "You are my representative, so represent me."

My views are well known and they clearly differ greatly from his. Given that the North West is represented by ten Euro-MPs, one must suspect Mr Buttrey's motivation in writing to me rather than one of the Conservative or Labour MEPs who might be more sympathetic.

He contacted me by e-mail to complain that the European Union was taking on powers to ban the UK Independence Party. The claim is complete and utter rubbish. It is just another of the lies and distortions which are peddled by the Eurosceptics and the xenophobes who trail in their wake. I will always try to do my best for people of whatever political persuasion who seek my help about my party's principles and beliefs. There is no requirement upon me to support views which I regard as paranoid, ridiculous, and just plain wrong.

Dissatisfied with my categorical assurances that he was mistaken, Mr Buttrey demanded that, whether I agreed with him or not, was not the point.

Oh yes it is. In the words of Edmund Burke: "Your representative owes you...his judgement; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion." (1774)

Chris Davies,

Liberal Democrat MEP for the North West.