It has been brought to my attention that people are speculating on why a large percentage of local Green Party candidates have double barrelled names.

I have even been privately asked by one of your regular correspondents if the reason I am not standing is because I do not have a double barrelled name.

Let me reassure all your readers this isn’t the case and I am not standing for family reasons.

There are several reasons for having a double barrelled name, for instance second marriages where both partners have children or where both partners in a marriage are feminists and aren’t willing for the women’s identity to be lost.

I have no knowledge of our candidates’ reasons and I feel it is not my nor any person’s business to enquire.

Having said that, one of our candidates who is known by her professional name, was shamefully denied the right to use it by the returning officer at the last election and has joined her married name to her professional name so voters know who she is in future.

They say all publicity is good publicity, so may I thank all those who have tried to ridicule the Greens in this matter and I would recommend all those who have had their interest provoked to look at our policies online.

Steve Thompson Norman Road Swindon