OF course a newly elected Member of Parliament merits congratulations. However, I feel that electors also owe the Rt. Hon. Steve Webb a debt of sincere and public thanks for his service as the previous member for Thornbury and Yate.

By no means did I agree with everything in the recent Lib Dem Manifesto (any more than all that in the Conservative Manifesto), but Steve Webb has been a hard-working and effective constituency MP, and his achievements as Minister for Pensions have been widely recognised and applauded from all sides of the political spectrum. I have never read a bad word about him. I have read plenty of good ones, in both local and national media.

I hope that until Luke Hall he has found his feet in Westminster, he will have the wisdom to consult Steve Webb. It is a shame that Steve Webb's reforming actions within Parliament have been brought to a halt. Perhaps the new Government will recognise his specialist knowledge and find a way to use it.

Graham Clark

New Road

Olveston