Andrew Paul, of Fore Street, Bovey Tracey, writes:

As a voter for 32 years, I believe that your vote conveys your personal views and values. Strategic votes could be a betrayal of these.

Lib Dems are now complaining that because strategic voters chose to abandon them, ousted individuals think to blame them for the results. How sad.

Because of the coalition, some strategic voters may have chosen to return the values once deserted. This time they did make a difference and the Labour candidates proved a point. If you don't like something, voice with your vote?

I'm puzzled. on May 27 one Lib Dem said that the centre left was needed to keep the Conservatives from running amok, yet their party leader chose to work with them.

Referendum results speak for themselves. Perhaps the Conservatives knew that the offer of a referendum was a small price to pay for the coalition deal – especially if they felt confident it would fail. Labour probably agreed and jumped in favour of saving the tax payers' money and using it where it was needed.

Together in the Bovey ward, Labour candidates actually got 931 votes. Reading between the lines and despite the statements made ('I accept losing a seat is all part of politics'), hell hath no fury comes to mind in last week's article. An interesting analogy of the donkey and the sheep was written about the other parties. What about the Lib Dems likening themselves to a mule, not knowing if they are donkey, ass or horse?

Knives were drawn for the Labour candidates who dared to challenge the norm. Whilst the Labour candidate wrote about vibrant variation needed in politics a week earlier, I did not read any personal attacks on opposition candidates and only a letter addressing the need to state that all parties' results can influence at election time.

If the strategic vote is so important perhaps the Lib Dems would return the favour by voting Labour. Far fetched it may be, but then anything is possible in politics as the Labour candidates have proved by the results.

Maybe the Lib Dems should shoulder some of the responsibility for losses by questioning decisions made at national level.

In two years' time we will see if the voters (strategic or not) have made a difference. Maybe all the parties will give each other the respect they deserve. And who knows, some may think again before choosing political partners.THIS AND OTHER LETTERS IN OUR DIGITAL EDITION