CLLR Chris (Spin-Doctor) Whitehouse in his letter to your column last week called for a reduction in taxation on petrol - further jumping on the bandwagon of popularism which has come to be the hallmark of local Tories.

CLLR Chris (Spin-Doctor) Whitehouse in his letter to your column last week called for a reduction in taxation on petrol - further jumping on the bandwagon of popularism which has come to be the hallmark of local Tories.

How does he suggest the Government fund such a reduction in taxation? Shut a few of the new hospitals? Increase class sizes back to the Tory average of 35?

Disband the armed forces? Increase income tax back to Tory levels? Perhaps, most appropriately given the circumstances, abolish agricultural subsidies?

Higher indirect taxation on goods and services, such as fuel, is a direct result of the British reluctance to pay realistic levels of income tax.

The Tory Party seems incapable of grasping the simple fact that public services have to be paid for through taxes either on income or goods.

The lower prices of fuel in Europe are balanced by (much) higher income tax.

It beggars belief how the Tory party swings from issue to issue always seeking the most popular stance irrespective of the consequences.

One nation Conservatism, where, at least, issues were thought through, balanced and reasonable, has disappeared completely from our shores.

Popularist, reactionary and right wing conservatism at its worst - embodied by Cllr Whitehouse has replaced it.

Only the Liberal Democrat Party has the honesty to recognise that we cannot continue to reduce taxation without recognising the consequences.

We believe that the British people do not want to see their services reduced and, ultimately, will recognise that a decent level of services must be decently funded.

Cllr Paul Henry

Lib Dem

Beaconsfield South

Wattleton Road

Beaconsfield