I was glad to see a reactionary reply in the Echo to my letter about the nonsense of raising a memorial to Tom Buxton MP. This epistle from Ms Orrell only goes to substantiate my criticism of the waste of money raising a monument to remind us (and, in particular to remind our children) of the efforts of Buxton and companion activists in combating slavery, sex trafficking, mass starvation and fatal decease etc. Throughout the world – but especially in East Africa.

So, I would like to see funds diverted to deal with this, rather than to build a tasteless edifice to an individual no better than his many fellow reformers, unless living in Weymouth makes him more important.

‘What would Buxton have thought?’ poses Ms Orrell, Who cares what he might have thought? That is totally irrelevant.

I believe it is better to deal with present-day problems such as world poverty and decease than to build an obelisk to honour one man’s memory.

As I said in my previous letter, one can already pray at his monument in Westminster Abbey and you can see a very nice obelisk at Portland Bill.

Mr Orrell, why don’t you disband your society before any more funds are wasted! Surely it would be better for ‘our local children’ to support the present-day aid to East Africa, rather than, as you say, ‘learn something of the life of an MP’ who lived some hundred years ago. I have the support of some students including a young Somali living near me regarding my sentiments expressed in this letter and I have now heard from several men who have been approached by your society for support. Happily, they all refused to join you.

GC Lake Chelmsford Street Weymouth