Recently the Liberal Democrats fielded one of our young members to contest the St Margaret by-election.

I therefore resent Coun Tomlinson's remark that young candidates are selected with the bribe of a few pints of beer (letters, March 14). He may be the youngest councillor on the borough council, but that does not give him an excuse to be childish.

It is his brand of yah-boo politics which puts people off standing for election or wishing to even bother voting. Readers of the national press will know that the Tories are so desperate to find candidates that they have taken up full page advertisements pleading for people to stand.

In Swindon the Lib Dems will field 20 candidates to take on the failing Labour-run council along with the discredited Tories who propose £1 an hour charge in the town's car-parks and to double the cost of residents parking.

These are the issues which voters will bear in mind as they cast their votes.

The Tories promise much, then miss crucial meetings where 15 per cent tax rises go through on the nod.

MICHAEL DICKINSON

Swindon Road

Swindon