RS PEARSON seems desperate to have me stand for council (Letters, October 10).

He no doubt hopes I would lose so he and his friend Coun Horton could claim some sort of victory. It is RS Pearson who misses the point. Winning or losing a council seat does not make the views of one person correct and those of another erroneous. My criticisms of this regime are entirely valid and the information I have given out is perfectly correct.

Moreover, a sniper is one who shoots from cover, but I never do that. Anyone can respond to my arguments because all my comments are made openly with my name and address attached.

This is unlike the vitriolic abusive attacks that are regularly posted against me on The Press website by people who hide behind pseudonyms.

I am not afraid of standing for council and many people who are heartily sick of certain sitting members have urged me to be an independent candidate. However, I have family in Australia and spend months each year on the other side of the world. Perhaps RS Pearson and David Horton would agree to pay my air fares to attend council meetings as they are so keen for me to show them how to do the job properly.

Matthew Laverack, Lord Mayor’s Walk, York.