SIR - Further to his remarks about hunting and the House of Lords in last week's Gazette, I would like to make the point to David Drew MP that, despite being elected to the House of Commons, there are a lot of people who did not vote for him and never will.

Consequently he cannot possibly claim that his own views, or even the views of those who "fill his postbag" are completely representative either - or moral.

A lot of traditional Labour voters are the folk who either ferret, hunt, fish or shoot and some of them have probably helped to plaster the locality with 'Vote Labour' signs during elections on his behalf.

Mr Drew's government has wasted a disproportionate amount of time and public money on the issue of hunting, as well as its petty vindictiveness towards the House of Lords, a body which ultimately protects us, the public, by curbing the excesses of the Commons especially in times when one side is over represented and there is weak opposition.

If people like David Drew object to unelected people having a say in the running of anything, perhaps they should put more energy into protecting our rights in Europe and opposing the unelected bureaucrats who are hell-bent on ruining our diary and beef industries, to name but two, and who have already caused so much cruelty to UK animals by closing down all our local abattoirs.

I cannot see how packing the Lords with your Tory or Labour mates is better than taking pot luck with hereditaries. They are by no means all saints, but many have a highly developed sense of duty and philanthropy, as well as being successful businessmen and women in their own right - people with great life experience who are prepared to take each issue on its merits rather than blindly voting along party lines by way of thanks for being give a title.

Belinda Holley, Whitecourt, Uley