I must write following your decision to publish a shockingly inaccurate letter from latter-day UKIP councillor Tony Woodcock alleging that some Poole Liberal Democrats were opposed to flying the Union flag at the Civic Centre.

It is categorically denied by the Liberal Democrat group on the Borough of Poole that anyone was, at any time, opposed to the flag flying and indeed it smacks of some desperation in UKIP’s attempt to “claim the flag” as their own Frankly, the rise of UKIP in national polls is a very dangerous phenomenon – we, in Poole, and indeed in the wider conurbation, do not have a significant problem of community cohesion and indeed most local residents recognise immigrants as people in their own right and welcome them into the local community.

Many of Poole’s public services (particularly Poole Hospital) could not function without the contribution of those born overseas. UKIP’s policies around Little England and xenophobia are particularly unhelpful to good community relations I place more trust in Poole’s local residents than to believe that many will support UKIP in next year’s national vote and further believe that even fewer will do so at a local level.

It is particularly instructive that Cllr Woodcock chose not to stand for re-election (unlike his national colleagues Messrs Carswell and Reckless) after his defection from the Tories but chose to retain his seat as a UKIP councillor.

The people of Lower Parkstone, of which I am one, have, disgracefully, not had the opportunity to have their say on his shabby defection to UKIP and subsequent attempts to speak on behalf of those residents who supported him under his previous Tory banner.

Cllr Philip Eades Lib Dem Prospective MP, Poole