I feel Dr Alan Chedzoy recent letter regarding Richard Drax voting against the "bill" for same sex marriage merits a response!

Firstly, I respect Alan as a long time Labour supporter, but I think on this occasion he demeaned himself somewhat for not mentioning that fact when he was been critical of the standing Conservative candidate at the forthcoming election!

Secondly, Alan tends at least by inference to suggest that the "same sex marriage" vote was not that important compared to the "main issues" of the election - which we have all heard so much about - but this vote was very important, the matter was not in the Conservative manifesto in 2010, and Richard Drax voted effectively against his party and leader, which shows some moral courage!

Lastly, in my view successive administrations have weakened marriage by policies that have not recognized the importance of traditional marriage relationships in society either on the grounds of financial incentives or moral initiatives, but instead have "played to the gallery" of relatively small but very powerful pressure groups.

I suspect Richard Drax was speaking for the "silent majority" when he voted against this "bill" and that is important and he is to be admired for doing so.

I ought to make it clear that I am and always have been non aligned politically.

David Peach Weymouth