Letters to the Editor

The hernia could not be removed because of the extensive scar tissue and I was advised that in the future I would have great problems with it. Then last year a cancer specialist in Germany developed a new technique whereby large holes in the human body were filled in with titanium wire mesh. Titanium does not rust, is very light and also very long lasting. This technique worked amazingly well.

Mr Kapadia, the surgeon at Airedale Hospital, who saved my life a few times before, said that he was going to Germany to learn this new technique as it would be useful for the work that he does. He said that when he came back he would operate on me. He advised me that it would be a very serious operation.

Last week, I went into hospital for the operation, with great success. As usual my heartfelt thanks go to Mr Kapadia, all the nurses on ward 13, the cleaning staff and catering staff, in fact, to anyone at all who works at or is associated with the wonderful place that is Airedale Hospital.

MICHAEL HUDSON

Elmore Terrace, Cross Hills

PS: MRSA would never survive at Airedale Hospital as the cleaning staff never stop working!

SIR - I'm sorry that Ann Cryer and her supporters are trying to denigrate Karl Poulsen's name by describing him as the "third choice Tory candidate". They no doubt hope that if they repeat this myth often enough, it will eventually stick.

Perhaps Ann Cryer would do well to remember that if the local Labour party had had its way, she would have been neither the first, second nor third choice Labour candidate in 1997.

I recall that at that time Keighley Labour Party was plunged into turmoil (involving several resignations) because it was forced to choose from an all-woman shortlist, much to the chagrin of the (male) Bradford councillor who had been the favourite for the role. So reluctant was the local Labour party to comply with this decision (they went so far as to appeal unsuccessfully to the Party's National Executive Committee) that the selection procedure was taken out of its hands and conducted by the Party's Yorkshire Region.

If Ann Cryer does not want to be reminded of this fact, she would do well to avoid rather silly personal slurs.

Gary Waller

MP for Keighley 1983-97

Plane Tree House, London

SIR - The letters from two leading Tories, Karl Poulsen (parliamentary candidate) and Gerry Yates (party chairman) were characterised by repeated and irritating references to our MP, Ann Cryer, as "Mr Blair's candidate".

Not once did they mention her name. Firstly, I find this approach to be thoroughly ill-mannered and puerile.

Secondly, it couldn't be more wrong in its implication.

Along with friends covering a wide field of religious and political outlook, I have frequently contacted Ann Cryer on environmental and humanitarian matters, and found her to be invariably prompt in replying, pragmatic, independent and, above all, courteous. I have often heard her described as 'a real constituency MP'.

Contrast her excellent record with the desperate Utopian promises outlined in the above letters. Why didn't they implement these promises during their eighteen years of power?

Regarding the BNP - a threat which cannot be brushed aside by Tory platitudes - perish the thought that they should win in Keighley. It would be tragedy enough if Mrs Cryer were to lose her seat to the Tories in their present mood.

HAMISH HAY

Craven Avenue,

Silsden

SIR - How pleased I was to see members of the Lions doing such a wonderful presentation for the Salvation Army in your paper.

The Lions do so much good work in this town and are no doubt proud people that the general public are aware of the work that is done by them. Congratulations, as I understand they have done 50 years service to the community.

MARGARET RENWICK

Waverley Avenue,

Sandbeds, Keighley

SIR - I was so very pleased to read your reporter, David Knights', review on 'Les Miserables' - Little Soads, Friday, March 11.

The theatrical experience was brilliant. My family and I went to two performances -- Monday night and the Saturday night -- the only difference between the shows, their brilliance got even better.

The leads of the show gave superb performances, namely Sam Perry (Jean Valjead), Seb Pietrovito (Javert), Ben Tomlinson (Marius), Tanzil (Raj) Chowdhury (Enjolras), Kara Bayer (Fantine), with comedy from Adriana Gentile (Madame Thenardier) and Vahan Salorian (Thenardier).

"To be the best" is the motto of this group, and how this is achieved is by gifted producers John Dewhurst and Jeannette Wilcock, and the superb Caroline Dewhurst who has a wonderful gift of getting the best from the cast with her vocal and musical coach skills.

The orchestra played with panache under the direction of Catherine Sweet.

The last number of the show, which is "One Day More", had the audience cheering and wanting more and more.

I just want to say thank you to all the members of the cast for a wonderful time in their company. Their standing ovation was well deserved.

MICHAEL W HILTON

Kirkgate, Silsden.

SIR - It is with regret one reads of the passing of Mr L Ashton, the former Parks Superint-endent of Keighley.

Those who knew of him from the late 1940s to his retirement in 1974 were aware of the many changes he brought to the parks and Cliffe Castle. His knowledge of horticulture was evident and brought much pleasure to the people of the town.

F SLACK

Station Road,

Haworth

SIR - As a car driver I don't often take the bus, though I would like to more often for the good of the environment.

A bus journey from Oakworth to Keighley costs £1.20, yet a bus journey from Keighley to Halifax costs £1.30; I find this ludicrous.

When my husband, our friends and I wish to travel to Keighley for a night out, it is cheaper for us to take a taxi (approximately £4) than catch the bus (£4.80). There's no incentive to take the environmentally friendly option when the cost of a short bus journey is so high.

Surely lowering the fare on short journeys such as this would encourage more people to use the bus?

SUE GARBUTT

Providence Crescent,

Oakworth

SIR - I am writing with reference to your article on Rombald on March 4, as I feel that the resiting plans for him should not go ahead.

Although he appears to be of considerable size in the Airedale Centre he is no Angel of the North and will look totally out of place on the Hard Ings roundabout.

On such a busy and complicated roundabout who can safely look at him? Can the town council remember how often he was vandalised when he was sited outside? Being on an out of town roundabout will not give him immunity.

The ideal solution is to move him, plinth and all, just a few yards to where there is, at present, a temporary cosmetic stall.

From this position he could hurl his stone at the coffee bar which robbed him of his perfect position. I suspect that he will wait until the people who did the original planning for this caf are taking a coffee before he unleashes his revenge.

I note in this week's Keighley News that the town centre may well be getting another sculpture. How many times will that get moved in the next 35 years?

Norman Ellis

Chapel Lane, Laycock

SIR - There are some striking similarities between the arguments surrounding the introduction of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, which culminated in the mammoth over night sitting in the Commons and Lords last week, and the debate that has been recently unfolding in the Keighley News regarding public meetings.

In an age where existing Criminal Justice legislation clearly cannot adequately protect the public from potential suicide bombers, whose rights come first?

Those suspected of involvement in terrorist activity - hell bent on undermining our democracy and killing innocent people -- or those of the potential victim? I am quite sure that, should there ever be any terrorist atrocity in the UK, no-one will be arguing that there ought to be a vote of thanks to the government for protecting an individual's rights of habeas corpus. Rather the public would quite rightly want to know that the government had done everything it possibly could to protect our people.

Similarly, whilst I appreciate the arguments regarding sharing a platform with other candidates, including the BNP, during the General Election, whose democratic rights would we be protecting? Contrary to what the Keighley News might have suggested in its ill-informed editorial of last week, I will decide how my campaign is directed and, if I thought that it was in the interests of the people I have represented for the last eight years (and hope to continue to represent), I would share that platform. However, reluctantly, I am not convinced that this is the case. There are a number of reasons:

At the launch of the BNP campaign in Haworth last month journalists were frisked and searched, venues were organised secretly, bouncers placed on the doors and attended by scores of people from outside Keighley.

Do we really want to subject the law abiding, decent and honest people of Keighley to a public meeting that includes a party that adopts cloak and dagger techniques and packs their meetings with outsiders? Is that really democracy in action for Keighley and the people of Keighley?

I signed up to the principles of "Keighley Together" which explicitly state that there is no place in Keighley for outside extremists such as the BNP. The Conservative candidate and representatives of the Liberal Democrats also signed up to that. I believe that it is hypocritical to sign up to Keighley Together and then allow the BNP to be elevated to the position of a democratic party.

The BNP is a racist and extremist organisation. It is not interested in solving the problems of Keighley (do you know of one positive, sensible proposal made by the BNP?). It is only interested in encouraging and exploiting conflict.

With people like this, any public meeting would descend into a rabble - led by outside extremists. Whilst this might be what the BNP wants, how can it possibly help the people of Keighley? Whose democratic rights have we protected - the outside extremists of the BNP or the people of Keighley?

My aim is to rid Keighley of extremists, from wherever they hail, allow the town to continue to prosper and encourage a positive and constructive debate that needs to occur in Keighley to address the problems we have in an open and fair atmosphere. I am not prepared to let that debate be hijacked by those people who only aim to cause harm to our town.

I am not prepared to be bounced into something that is called for by opportunistic candidates who never had an interest in the well-being of Keighley prior to their selection as a Parliamentary candidate.

I have served Keighley and its people for the past eight years and will continue to act in their interest. I would appeal to anyone with ideas as to how we can hold public hustings without giving the BNP a platform for their poison to let me have their views.

ANN CRYER MP