I WELCOME Dave Goodwin's letter (December 18) regarding the lack of letters in the Times over the last few weeks.

At the time of the re-drawing of parliamentary constituencies, I wrote to the commission to complain about their plan to split West Devon between two constituencies. I also disagreed with the need for more MPs, saying there should be a reduction of between a half to two thirds of their number.

I had a very nice letter back, pointing out that I was in a minority of one. But was I? Or was I the only one to give time to put pen to paper?

There are now plans — made by the Government — to do away with West Devon (as a council) altogether. So much for local democracy! Was this plan known at the time of the decision to cut West Devon in two?

Then there were the plans which we were not supposed to know about, to include Dorset into the unitary authority at some future date. Once the people of Devon have sleep-walked into the county-wide authority, the Dorset plan will be resurrected and so by stealth the Government gradually increases the size of the unitary area, until we find that the regional areas will be resurrected and the Government will have achieved its plans to divide England up into regions.

The Times informs us that Devon is now a multi-cultural society; teaching the children about other nations' culture, how to be tolerant of other people's traditions and way of life seems a very good idea. But is it?

What is really happening is that English children and adults know nothing about English culture, traditions and way of life. If they do know anything they are expected to denigrate it, give it up and follow the ways of other cultures so as not to offend them.

This is madness, and will lead to hostility in future. It's happening in Canada, where multi-culturalism is enshrined in law. Tolerance has to be two-sided, not only to be expected of the indigenous peoples.

No-one in Government will stand up for England's rural areas. It just goes out of its way to destroy its infrastructure and history. Soon there will no longer be an England. You will no longer keep its traditions.

Happy Christmas — rhubarb! Look forward to 2009 and more destruction of England by stealth and the rural areas rot away, as it abolishes our post offices, magistrates' courts, local democracy, local surgery, pharmacies etc etc.

J W Reid

LImehayes Road

Okehampton