IN their recent letters, Michael Sharrat and David Petersen highlight local Welsh Conservative candidate Simon Hart's experience of rural issues as if it was some kind of impediment, whereas of course the opposite is the case.

In addition, they bizarrely attempt to question his local credentials, something that has an unpleasant whiff of discrimination about it, as well as being glaringly inaccurate.

On his website www.simon-hart.com Mr Hart is entirely transparent on rural and urban issues from housing to hunting. I urge people to log on and see for themselves.

It must say something for the progress of the Conservatives in Wales, and for Mr Hart in particular, that his political opponents are already obsessing about everything from his beliefs, his job and that he has secured significant party funding. If they are as clever as they claim to be they will also know that he has lived and worked in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire most of his working life, his wife was born in Glangwili and his daughter in Withybush hospital. They might even know that he was the wicket-keeper for Cresselly Cricket Club for a decade too!

Di Clements

Broomhill farm

Martletwy

Narberth