A group of five of us assembled today (Saturday) to present James Gray MP, at his surgery in Malmesbury, with a petition. Three hundred and seventy four of his constituents had signed the online petition. This request on the 38 Degrees website, asks him to oppose the tax credit cuts which affect people on very low wages.

This is an issue likely to affect the lives of thousands of hard-working people in his constituency, if the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne does not back down this coming week in his autumn statement. People affected by the cuts could lose around £1,300 pounds a year.

During the meeting we asked if we might have a photograph of the petition being handed over; this request was declined by James Gray and his refusal politely accepted. He then accused us of ‘bringing politics into his surgery’ (where else should constituents have the chance to bring issues of importance to their MP than at a surgery one might ask?) and became angry. We were by this stage already leaving, but we took great exception to a Member of Parliament addressing a group of his constituents in this outrageous way.

The five of us of various political persuasions attended his surgery to deliver this important petition in a respectful and peaceful way, as we believe is our democratic right and duty and we were appalled to be treated in this rude and frankly disgraceful, undemocratic manner.

Under the circumstances we feel the least his Parliamentary and local party should do is insist that he issue a public apology to us and to the hundreds who signed this petition who should rightfully expect a more respectful and professional response from their Parliamentary representative.

DR BRIAN MATHEW, Parliamentary spokesperson, North Wiltshire Liberal Democrats & 38 Degrees Supporter, JIM SAXTON, Labour Party member & 38 Degrees Supporter, Calne, DR RICHARD GRAY, 38 Degrees Supporter, Malmesbury, SARA GRAY, 38 Degrees Supporter, Malmesbury, DAVID GRANT, Liberal Democrat member and 38 Degrees Supporter, Malmesbury.