Sir, – Robert Brown expresses surprise (D&S letters, Feb 6) at the low-key way in which the Conservative parliamentary candidate for Richmond was selected. The Thirsk and Malton Conservative Association, of late divided by opaque internecine squabbling, did much the same.
Perhaps the chairmen of both Conservative associations would care to tell us why we were not all invited to make the selections in open primaries as other Conservative associations have been doing. Perhaps they could even tell us directly in next week's D&S and so affirm their commitment to participatory democracy and The Big Society.
The two candidates could also make their own contributions to these – by sending us election addresses clearly detailing their own personal stances on the issues, rather than take refuge in the Central Office identikit template, the same everywhere except for the candidate's name and photograph (and obligatory labrador). This would show they themselves do take the rest of us seriously; it might even augment their support on May 7.
J FYLES
Sowerby, Thirsk.
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