BURY South MP Mr Ivan Lewis (Yours Truly, July 27) assumes that anyone who writes to the Bury Times to disagree with a Labour councillor, the Government or himself, and who signs their letter with a nom-de-plume, are Tory party members.

Are our elected members so arrogant that they assume everyone who cannot accept their policies are members or supporters of a political party? Is it not possible that the people who use pen names belong to the majority who no longer vote due to their disillusionment at all politicians? It is also possible that those using a pen name still believe that a person's identity is a private matter.

Mr Lewis pontificates to us about history and patriotism stating that throughout history the right-wing of the Tory party has turned on minorities. Maybe our MP could identify these minorities. Are they sick and disabled; pensioners; people living in rural areas? Who?

With regard to patriotism, I am sure that many of Mr Lewis's constituents will advise him on the true meaning of the word, among them those who contributed, at great financial cost, to help bring the NHS into being. They also ensured that children of all working-class families had free education and could go on to higher education without ending up thousands of pounds in debt, as is now the case.

Of course, any politician prepared to hand our country to unelected commissioners can have little comprehension of true democracy: or patriotism.

STUART I. MADERS