OUR local MP John Grogan has kindly reminded owners of small businesses at Tadcaster to apply for a cut in their business rates.

He referred to the number of small businesses in Kirkgate. Significantly, these are cheek by jowl with the plot of land which has been the subject of a bitter dispute spanning 30 years.

Mr Grogan was in what the Evening Press Diary would no doubt refer to as confessional mode. He told his constituents he had run a small business before he was elected to Parliament. So I propose to nominate our MP for Selby (a marginal) to be patron of small businesses at Tadcaster.

Unfortunately, there could be a snag to these saintly intentions of mine.

It has been said Mr Grogan did not have a driving licence and this was the reason for his huge parliamentary expenses claim, an amount that outraged taxpayers.

Mr Grogan was fortunate that he did not need a driving licence when he ran a small business. Many of his constituents are not so lucky.

They would probably, and understandably, object to the proposed patronage. We shall see.

Ida Mary Goodrick,

Woodlands Avenue, Tadcaster.

Updated: 09:35 Friday, March 04, 2005