MUCH publicity has been given to question-time by Mark Harper at the Main Place, Coleford last Friday.

As Mark is supposed to be MP for the Forest, why, once again, was the meeting hijacked by the Conservative Party, and who placed Brian Thornton as chairman? The people who attended included many who had no political views whatsoever, whereas Brian Thornton is deeply political. The meeting was supposed to be based on the future of the Forest of Dean. This was the worst conducted meeting I have ever attended and why should a Tory member allocate seats in what is a public building? Also, why were nine or 10 police employed?

Surely it would not have been too difficult to apply and be given a number to speak, and it wouldn't have been too difficult to organise somewhere where about 400 people who were stood outside in the cold and wet could have been accommodated. I would like to point out the Main Place is owned by the public. The Conservative Party do not have the right to allocate seats nor do they have the right to choose a chairman, if he can be called that.

I do believe that Mark Harper did not do himself any favours and I, for one, will avoid them like the plague.

– Cllr Mike Meredith-Edwards, Independent, Sling.