IT didn’t take long for Tim Siret to resort to his usual “tactic” of suggesting misquoting when challenging his generalisations (ViewPoints, May 30).

For the record, I quote his language and it is insulting to anyone’s intelligence to repeatedly use “nasty” to describe a party and its policy and then to condescendingly say that those who represent or support it are “misguided” and that is supposedly different.

The following points are worth recording: I do not “bandy” figures around, I merely use facts that are available to the public.

Why doesn’t he mention reductions in tax for millions of lower-paid employees? It is a coalition Government’s policies, not a Conservative one – don’t misquote me.

I also regularly talk to pensioners, my mother and father.

I am not beloved of any party – don’t misquote me.

For the record my views and beliefs have been shaped by my parents’ and grandparents’ work ethic.

Being part of a large family, brought up in a council house, my education, starting work at the “bottom of the heap”, being a life-long member of a trades union and freely taking strike action, supporting my children through university, being married to a dedicated NHS health professional for 38 years and finally having a free mind to not blindly follow one political ideology are all part of my character.

Rest assured Tim, I will continue to offer a different view to those that are intolerant to any view other than their own and who use “churlish” to describe a different opinion.

IAN CUMMINGS, Gibson Close, Abingdon