IT was interesting to read Claire Perry’s column in your paper dated June 23. She commented on the tragic and untimely death of Jo Cox which united people across the political spectrum with disbelief that this could happen to an MP going about her constituency business.

Ms Perry comments on poison pen letters, online abuse and “violently” defaced election posters. On this last point, while I have no idea who the perpetrators were, I know Ms Perry did accuse someone directly of doing this. Again, whether this person was guilty or not, I have no idea, as, I suspect does Ms Perry.

With regard to online comment, I can claim some responsibility. In the run-up to the last election, I wrote a letter a day to Ms Perry for about 40 days in the form of an online blog. I had previously given up on ever receiving a reply, having sent several letters directly to her, never abusive, but asking some uncomfortable questions about Tory party policy and the behaviour of some of her colleagues.

Ms Perry would improve her stock within the constituency quite significantly by answering all correspondence, however uncomfortable it may be to do so.

In addition, seeking to understand why 80,000 people protested at the last Tory party conference (Manchester, October 2015) rather than haughtily dismissing them as “Grubby, nose-ringed, rent-a-mob activists who know their ideology is in its death throes.”

Ms Perry mentions what a fearless campaigner for social justice Jo Cox was. Jo voted against the £30 per week cut in disability benefits. Ms Perry voted for it. Again, showing some compassion for those hardest hit by her party’s austerity measures would also improve her local standing, rather than voting as instructed on every matter, 930 times out of a possible 935 votes between 2010 and 2015.

She refers to abuse from someone “mentally ill”. I know one person that didn’t have the best start in life and does have some challenges. He does, however, have valid questions which are routinely ignored. Is this because he is deemed “mentally ill”? Is someone perceived as “mentally ill” automatically disqualified from asking their MP questions?

The dismissive arrogance with which any opponent of government policy is treated must stop now.

Ms Perry is accountable to all her constituents, be they Tory supporters or not, regardless of whether they face personal challenges, or ask uncomfortable questions. It is not acceptable to ignore letters which question Tory party ideology.

PHILIP BLUNT, Great Bedwyn