DESPITE failed Tory candidate Peter Laws' assertion (HAS, Sept 21), I believe in democracy at all levels of government - local, regional, national and international.

To assert that I am somehow opposed to democracy at local level is utter nonsense. I have given 40 years' service as a local councillor. I have worked to establish town and parish councils and served as a parish councillor for seven years. To deny my lifetime's commitment to grass roots democracy is an insult and untrue.

It was the Labour Government that linked the proposal for a democratically-elected regional assembly with local government reorganisation, an act of stupidity that was strongly opposed by me and Liberal Democrat MP Alan Beith among others.

These were two completely separate issues and should have been dealt with separately.

The Tories removed many powers from local government and abolished many local councils.

Instead, both Labour and Tories created hundreds of unelected quangos.

As a result, there are now three times as many quangos as there are local councils and twice as many quango members (all appointed by government) than elected local councillors. Who really believes in local democracy?

Chris Foote Wood, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham.