REGARDING your recent article, ‘Family of former Bournemouth East MP David Atkinson express shock over “secret life’, I had the privilege to work for David Atkinson for seven years and knew him for 15 years.

These smears and innuendos could not be further from the truth that David was a decent, religious, conscientious and honourable man.

I feel it is so sad to see people David loved so dearly besmirch someone who no longer has the right of reply.

I wish his family peace and hope that they will see the error of their behaviour and credit David for the exceptionally brilliant MP and man that he was (as is echoed by online comments in response to the original article) and was my privilege to know and call him a friend.

DARREN BRYANT, parliamentary assistant to David Atkinson, 2003-05