MADAM - May I please take this opportunity to use your paper to thank the farmer in Selsley who kindly offered his field to site the largest ‘Vote UKIP’ sign in a highly prominent position on a busy through road.

Unfortunately I must also make readers aware that after an immediate complaint, the local electricity board came and removed said sign within 24 hours as it infringed on their pole.

Shame.

Whether the complaint was from a Green supporting the subsidies we are obliged to pay on our energy bills (the Spanish government have just removed their subsidies by the way) or a Lib Dem (there are still a few) who admire everything European and appear most concerned at the growing success of the United Kingdom Independence Party or whether there is still someone who thinks Neil Carmichael has placed Stroud above his beloved Tory party at any time since elected – we shall never know.

I agree with your reporter that the next general election will be a two horse race with David Drew trying to reclaim his seat for Labour but the only other candidate able to beat him will be the woman (yes a lady) from UKIP despite the antics of the spoilers.

So thank you Mr Farmer for trying to make sense of the £118bn per year we pay (according the the Daily Telegraph) to the EU with half of that wasted on the Common Agricultural Policy – including fish discards of course.

Until we have a referendum, we must rely on the ballot box and people making the effort to vote.

I know who gets my vote.

Steve Parker

Ebley