I have two main problems with the residency claims of the Labour parliamentary candidate for Itchen.

Firstly, she is not local, when other Labour candidates were local and could have been chosen.

The importance of being local cannot be overstated.

To me, a local MP, born and bred in Southampton, is important, because he or she will understand Southampton – what makes it tick, what it needs, what are its aspirations.

And my second problem is that the importance of being local is obviously not lost on the Labour candidate, since she is constantly telling everyone how much of a Southampton person she is – when in fact she has no claim at all.

There is only one real local candidate – Royston Smith. Born and bred in Itchen, schooled in Itchen, worked in Itchen.

He really knows Southampton inside out without having to pretend.

There is a choice – local or London.

PETER BAILLIE, Southampton.