THE announcement this week that the Lib Dems are proposing an amnesty for illegal immigrants shows how completely out of touch with public opinion they are.

Thousands of people voted Lib Dem in the recent Sedgefield byelection.

I wonder how many of them knew of this policy, or Lib Dem policies on other important issues, such as them wanting to scrap the pound and adopt the euro.

They also want to adopt the proposed EU Treaty without a referendum.

The Lib Dems seem to be completely out of touch with public opinion on so many issues yet they do well in by-elections because they latch onto a local issue and concentrate on it to the exclusion of all else.

Eric Wilson, Hartlepool.