Stop hounding the good ones out

9:29am Thursday 22nd November 2001

Even though I am not a Conservative I feel I must protest at the disgraceful way the Sidcup Conservative party is treating hard-working and devoted councillor Graham Holland.

That Graham should have been too busy dealing with the everyday problems of local people, to get round to paying his Council Tax, sounds pretty much typical of the man I have had the privilege of meeting when campaigning on local issues.

Could it be the ruling Conservatives' motives for first deselecting Graham as a prospective councillor and then enforcing his removal from the chair of the corporate affairs review committee, has more to do with Graham's willingness to speak out independently in the interests of his constituents rather than follow the party line, than it has to do with a financial transgression.

If the Conservative Party is ever again to form our government, it needs to foster the compassionate conservatism connected with the problems of ordinary people, who Graham represents, rather than hounding his like from public office.

David Stevens

Onslow Drive

Sidcup