Sir, – How many Richmond constituency readers must have been puzzled by the Lib Dem candidate’s lack of research in his letter (D&S, Mar 19).

Let us hope that he is not misleading voters about the many ways in which constituents have been helped by the present government.

Good examples of our housing policy can be seen in the new affordable homes in Chop Gate, Battersby and Great Ayton. Through the recession, Labour took the decision to invest an extra £1.5bn in building more affordable homes and protecting jobs and skills in the construction industry.

We’re making government money available to councils and now have the biggest council house building programme for two decades. Last year, the Tories launched a planning paper that the chief executive of the National Housebuilding Federation said could mean losing “up to 64,000 affordable homes (nationally) over three years.”

Labour has set the target of building 8,500 homes in small rural communities between 2008-11. As further help for those of us living here, Labour introduced regulations from last September for shared ownership homes in 13,000 small protected rural areas which will be retained as affordable housing in perpetuity.

Another help for our rural constituency is Labour’s consultation on banking at post offices and new financial services they can offer. We have also recently set up a 12-point action plan to give practical support for community pubs, to retain pubs in rural and urban communities.

Mr Meredith’s fears about broadband provision are untrue.

Labour is guaranteeing that superfast broadband will be accessible everywhere in the UK by 2012 and creating hundreds of thousands of jobs in this process.

The hard-working farmers in our region, through Defra, have been helped with the successful blue tongue vaccination, our stand on pesticides and administering support policies agreed in Brussels which have given £3bn to British agriculture.

I wonder if Mr Meredith has been on local buses as I was recently, travelling from Stokesley to Northallerton, chatting to local people who found the service good and adequate for their needs. Better Sunday services has been one of my campaigning issues with the local council.

Voters mustn’t risk voting Lib Dem for “cuts, cuts that are savage and bold” which Nick Clegg promised in his annual conference speech. Better to give an approving vote to a party that has protected our beautiful and characterful constituency.

EILEEN DRIVER Labour candidate for Richmond Grange Drive, Stokesley.