I was surprised that following contacting your newspaper, with a story of major importance to both your local area and the plight of women across the world, that you found it more relevant to your readers to ridicule me. You quote the Chairman of the High

I was surprised that following contacting your newspaper, with a story of major importance to both your local area and the plight of women across the world, that you found it more relevant to your readers to ridicule me.

You quote the Chairman of the Highgate Society as saying I have never been in contact. Equally the Society has never contacted me.

As for the Chairman of the Heath and Hampstead Society, he may benefit from learning more about the role of MEPs, which has nothing whatever to do with tree management or basement developments.

Another of your reporter's contacts said more should be known about MEPs. Indeed, it should. But your paper's preference to ridicule the work of 'eurocrats' rather than inform your readers of their work is not helping the situation.

I am elected by some of your readers and many others across London, to represent the interests of all Londoners within Europe. In an informal arrangement between all three London Labour MEPs we divide the boroughs between us. I represent the interests of people in Hamstead (sic) and Highgate in Europe amongst many other areas in London as wide ranging as Croydon, Lambeth and Westminster.

Most recently, I assisted a family in Croydon to access compensation from Italian authorities for the murder of their daughter whilst she was studying abroad. This is just one of the many things I have done to assist my London constituents in EU issues in the past few months.

From now on I will be more in touch with your paper on issues that I am working on. So I hope your story last week is the start of a more open dialogue between me, in my elected role in Europe, and your paper.

Mary Honeyball, MEP