THE Wiltshire Times claims to be fair, balanced and free from vested political interests.

Yet this is hardly an accurate description of last week's article on myself. To describe an elected local representative speaking on a controversial local issue as a "bigot" is more befitting a partisan London-based rag than a respectable weekly newspaper used to reporting facts.

I know for a fact that many of your readers agree with me that homosexual acts are perverted as they have told me so themselves. Furthermore, many of your readers will be adherents of faith groups which take this stance.

Does the Wiltshire Times have an anti-Catholic or anti-Islamic agenda? I think we should be told. The Liberal Democrats are now overtly anti-Catholic, which is why I have resigned from the party.

As a politician I do my research before making bold statements and I would ask my new opponents this: if the gay lobby does not support paedophilia, why are they campaigning to lower the age of consent?

Peter Tatchell of Stonewall has openly stated several times that he wants to see no lower age limit whatsoever. Also, if the Liberal Democrats claim to be "caring", why do they not discourage anal intercourse given its known health risks? There have been over 40,000 cases of HIV in Britain since 1981. Of these less than 500 caught the virus in a heterosexual context. Given that the overwhelming majority of people are exclusively heterosexual in their habits that would seem to indicate that the aforementioned practice is very dangerous. But most politicians are more interested in political correctness than saving lives.

If you print this reply, you will have demonstrated your claim to be balanced.

CLLR B BIDDULPH

Newtown

Trowbridge

The Wiltshire Times' editorial policy, as stated on this page (see left) is that we are independent of any affiliation, which means we hold no views on any belief promoted or held by members of the Catholic or Islamic faiths. The dictionary definition of the word 'bigot' is 'a person who is intolerant of any ideas other than his own, especially on religion, politics or race', EDITOR.