Until the 1990s, I was a regular contributor to the Letters to the Editor in what was then the Evening Advertiser but stopped until recently, after I was approached by a friend and prospective MP and asked to be his mouthpiece in this column.

After serious thought I declined, wanting nothing to do with politics except to do my duty by voting when asked.

My belief then as now is that political parties ruin the local government’s ability to run our town properly as the councillors are more interested in scoring points off each other than doing their duty.

Unfortunately, finance plays a big part in who stands for election, so independents, who will get my vote, are few and far between.

I have changed my resolve not to get involved in the petty squabbling in your column after receiving through my letterbox a blue flyer entitled 2014 Manifesto for Swindon.

(The Oxford Dictionary states that manifesto means public declaration of future policy).

Within this document are 33 brave promises for the days ahead, until you realise 20 of these are in the past tense and are in action. Not then a very busy term of office for them if the Conservatives get the majority again.

Mr L Carter, Dart Avenue, Swindon