CONSERVATIVE supporter Audrey Du Feu used her letter in last week s paper to attack me for being … wait for it … local.

CONSERVATIVE supporter Audrey Du Feu used her letter in last week's paper to attack me for being ... wait for it ... local.

This seems a pretty bizarre campaign tactic by the Conservative wonks in Alexandra Parade, but you know what, I'm guilty as charged. I'm not a professional politician imported from outside, I was born in Weston, live and work here, and I'm proud of it.

However, I must take issue with her suggestion that we are winning the battle against drugs. The fact is that drug crime has doubled here in the last five years.

Every day we see drug addicts on our streets and you are living in cloud cuckoo land if you really think that our town's rehab problem has been solved. Conservative plans to double the number of rehab centres can only make things worse.

The softly, softly approach towards drugs promoted by too many politicians simply does not work. It's not the young families and senior citizens in Weston I want to see living in fear, it's the drug dealers. Living in fear of being caught and in fear of being locked up.

MIKE BELL

Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Weston

George Street, Weston