SIR - When footballers Jonathan Woodgate and Lee Bowyer were involved in drunken behaviour which led to a court case, Leeds United were quick to support them.

So, too, were Manchester United when their player, Rio Ferdinand, forgot to stay behind for a drugs test after a match.

Cheryl Tweedy, singer with pop group Girls Aloud, was given her record management's backing despite being found guilty of assaulting a nightclub attendant.

If these organisations were to stop supporting such individuals and thought of morals rather than profits, perhaps future "celebs" would behave better and perhaps children would be given better guidance as they start to learn the difference between right and wrong.

Hopefully, Bradford Bulls will take a stand and show the door to player Leon Pryce, who has admitted wounding a man with a beer glass.

No doubt all these people have talents in their respective fields but it should be remembered that they and their employers have responsibilities - towards young minds in particular. Or could it be that money and success are all that count?

Michael Booth, Moorcroft Drive, Tong Street, Bradford.

SIR - Emma Clayton's article on suffragette Adela Pankhurst (T&A, October 18) mentions that, in 1918, women over 30 were given the vote. In fact they needed other qualifications thus excluding most working class women. Many of these contributed to the war effort, caring for families and working long hours in a variety of jobs and enduring great mental and physical stress. A thousand munitions workers died between 1915 and 1918.

The Suffragette leaders contributed a great deal. However, after 1914 they focused their energies on war, addressing and organising recruiting campaigns and, in the case of Emmeline and Christabel, becoming extremely hostile to working class organisations like trade unions.

The Suffragists, the trade unions and other women's organisations continued to campaign for the vote after 1917. All women over 21 were enfranchised in 1928.

We should not forget the many other organisations that will probably not be celebrated in this centenary year - the Women's Freedom League, Sylvia Pinehurst's East London suffrages, the Lancashire and Cheshire women's textile group and many others.

They have been neglected owing to the attention given to the Suffragette leaders but their history is now being written.

David Stark, Quarry Street, Bradford 9.

SIR - The argument for fluoridating our water has reached crazy new depths. Health Minister Melanie Johnson has claimed we can stop brushing our teeth and drink fluoridated water instead!

She has written to MPs telling them that fluoridation is now the "preferred option". According to reports, she has spotted the fact that brushing requires "ongoing positive personal action by the individual" and notes that fluoridated water can protect teeth "without needing to take any personal action".

Imagine it: "I don't have to brush my teeth, mum. The government says so."

Medicating everyone to treat a problem in a small minority of the population is at best ill-advised; fluoridation is potentially risky, medically unethical and contravenes human rights conventions.

And it's of doubtful effect: the government's review said it would reduce decay by less than half a tooth per child.

Statistics show that the most fluoridated countries don't have the best teeth and most of Europe has been reducing tooth decay in recent years, in almost all cases without fluoridation.

There's still time to urge your MP to vote against fluoridation. Nearly every country in the world that tried it has stopped. Why is Britain going in the opposite direction?

Councillor Martin Love (Shipley West, Green Party), Farfield Road, Shipley

SIR - Having just observed the suspension of several police officers for racist behaviour bordering on violent intent, thanks to the calculating endeavours of a BBC journalist, I have to ask the following controversial question, which will probably be too politically incorrect to publish but: when will the BBC covertly conduct an undercover investigation into the racism that exists in the Asian community?

The question is sensitive, but as a victim of racial abuse and violence from Asian racists, I think it's about time this travesty was exposed and a level playing field was created whereby racists from all communities are treated with the same revulsion.

Mark Squires, Owlet Road, Shipley.

SIR- The TV programme on "Racism in the Police Force" (October 21) was an eye-opener. If there is to be a witch-hunt and all "racist" policemen are to be sacked, then I fear we may end up with hardly any police at all.

I think the quote from the top police officer about him "feeling physically sick" should be taken with a pinch of salt. I can remember when the police force was well respected by they public and the compliment was returned. Not so today; what went wrong?

J Lewis Nicholl, Plumpton Gardens, Wrose.

SIR - On October 21 the flagpole at the top of Brook Street, Ilkley, was flying the French tricolor. If we fly the French flag on that day we must fly the the Union Flag above it because October 21 is Trafalgar Day!

Chris Harper, Margerison Road, Ben Rhydding.

SIR - The Labour government has announced an amnesty for 15,000 families of asylum seekers who can now stay indefinitely in this country. That will be about 50,000 people. Why? Simply because they hadbeen in this country prior to August 2000!

The Home Secretary and the Government say it will cost the taxpayers less by doing this. They also say this is about the past and helping to get rid of the backlog of asylum cases.

However, they obviously haven't thought of the consequences and probable costs to taxpayers, not to mention the social engineering element that socialists are always hell-bent on. This is a blanket amnesty regardless of these asylum seekers' personal merits.

The message of the government to the people of this country is one of complete and utter failure. Their actions mimic their thinking: if we haven't got a solution, simply take the easiest option which gets rid of the problem.

Councillor Andrew Smith (Queensbury) Chapel Street, Queensbury.

SIR - Is there a reader who can help me? I am looking for someone who might possibly have been, or worked for a furrier in the past, at any rate someone who knows what's what in fur terms.

I am an amateur wardrobe mistress who has been given items of fur over the years. It would be good to identify them, so I know what to try to sell, what to keep and what to pass on to organisations who can get them to deprived people in colder climates.

Please contact me on Bradford 394676.

Angela Curtis, Radwell Drive, Bradford.

SIR - MP George Galloway's anger at being expelled from the Labour Party is sheer theatre. What he should be worrying about is that, by urging British troops not to fight in Iraq, he was guilty of treason and should be brought before a court of law.

British troops have no part in political decision-making and George Galloway knows this. Relatively speaking, being thrown out of the Labour Party is about as serious as a school detention and he should be thrown out of the country.

Gary Lorriman, North Walk, Long Lane, Harden

SIR - I enjoyed reading Mike Priestley on US spin over Iraq (T&A, October 18). How awful of "our side" to stoop to "propaganda".

I note another little tit-bit, but this time from the UN. In recent weeks, 1,000 schools have been opened in Iraq; at least those attending will be confident they won't be ending up in mass graves or torture camps no small thanks to the nasty US and UK.

F Dickinson, Larkfield Road, Rawdon.

SIR - Having read several criticisms of the idea of creating a lake, wetlands and other unusual features in the centre of the city, may I make it clear that these are not plans which have been proposed by the Council and they have not been seen or discussed by any of our committees.

We fully share readers' views that what we need is a bustling lively city centre filled with attractive and well-used shops. We have a long way to go before we achieve that objective, but we intend to do whatever lies within our power.

If water features will help the process, no doubt we will wish to discuss them, but the first priority is to bring the centre back to life and prosperity as quickly as we can.

Councillor Stanley King (Conservative, Heaton), Heaton Road, Heaton.