SIR – When I criticised Grant Shapps MP the week before last, I certainly did not expect such a childish reply direct from him. It was a letter full of electoral cliches that actually said that he had achieved nothing. In answer to all he has to say

SIR - When I criticised Grant Shapps MP the week before last, I certainly did not expect such a childish reply direct from him. It was a letter full of electoral cliches that actually said that he had achieved nothing.

In answer to all he has to say about his many campaigns, I can only really advise him of one fact, and unfortunately that is also a cliche.

"A man is judged on what he achieves, not on how many different things he 'tries' to achieve."

I only hope the next ballot box bears this out.

More importantly than our little dispute, I would like to say "Good Luck, Ash and Shashi". I honestly hope that Birchwood Post Office is spared from the chop. It is a busy, well run Post Office, and the general area manager would be a fool to close it.

Keith McCourt, Longmead, Hatfield.

SIR - Regarding "All lost causes" (Letters April 23) and Post Office closure: I do not take kindly to the negative remarks towards our MP Grant Shapps. At least Grant Shapps takes a serious interest in our local issues and gets involved to sort out whatever possible.

At the end of the day it is the government "Labour" that has the last say.

For example, spending on the Olympics is more important than a new hospital.

Name and address supplied.

Sir - I've lived in Hatfield for more than 40 years and can remember Lord Robert Balniel, Helene Hayman, Christopher Murphy, David Evans and Melanie Johnson, but I can honestly say that Welwyn Hatfield has never had a better MP than our current one, Grant Shapps.

Unlike most of his predecessors, Mr Shapps and his family live locally, he is genuinely engaged with the community, he doesn't approach politics from a partisan point of view and he's enormously hard working.

I read Keith McCourt's letter (WHT, April 23) and deduced that he's probably not himself been living in Welwyn Hatfield for very long. Mr McCourt, this area needs a campaigning MP and although I'm not a natural Conservative supporter it's hard to escape the conclusion that we've probably got one of the best MPs in the country in Mr Shapps.

Richard L. Samuels, Hatfield.