Councillor Val Smith tries to muddy the political waters and draw attention away from the delicate issue of New Labour absentee councillors by asking where I live (Oxford Mail, February 6).

The answer, as she may well already know, is Blackbird Leys.

Or perhaps Mrs Smith felt she was on to something because I have had to move several times in the last two years.

In common with far too many working class people, I face little or no hope of obtaining council or social housing.

This is due, in no small part, to successive Conservative and New Labour Government housing policies.

As I don't have the benefit of an MP partner, who receives almost £4,000 per week from the public purse, a mortgage is out of the question.

This leaves me with no option but to rent privately, which comes without any security of tenure.

I will leave it to the people of Blackbird Leys to judge whether Mrs Smith's attempts to make capital out of my personal housing problems are an appropriate political tactic to win a seat.

As I have explained my housing situation, I hope that Mrs Smith will repay the compliment.

Last year, even though the Smiths already own a large house at Blackbird Leys, Andrew Smith MP claimed a £21,657 London housing allowance (as part of his overall £206,057 salary, plus expenses).

If he has been claiming a similar housing allowance over his 20 years as an MP, the total will amount to a tidy sum.

Can Mrs Smith clarify if this money has been used to purchase property (by paying off mortgage interest) and, if so, exactly how many properties she and her husband now own?

STUART CRAFT (Councillor) Independent Working Class Association Oxford City Council