SIR - In the T&A of July 25, there was a report about higher education courses for people with "a bit of nous".

I have a few friends who due to family problems, namely deaths and bringing up younger children, found it hard to settle to normal education.

Now the Asian community is being offered higher education courses with bonuses for those who have no qualifications.

Giving such a course for a specific race after the recent violence in Bradford is a bit nave. It will fuel the BNP and create an even larger divide.

Doesn't the European Rights Bill prevent discrimination by race, sex and age to avoid such problems as these?

Martin Skelly, Kennerleigh Walk, Holme Wood, Bradford

SIR - I was somewhat surprised to read a report on July 25 about students being offered payments of £1,080 to take part in fast-track studies.

The question of why this only applies to Asian students came to mind. Surely in this day and age, it is only fair to treat each individual fairly. After the Bradford riots, I am very surprised that people are still singling out certain groups of people or offering opportunities to certain groups.

I wonder when the day will come when we will all live in the same place and all be treated with the same respect we all deserve. Equal opportunities to not seem to me to be very equal.

D Hanson, Oakdale Drive, Eccleshill.

SIR - With regard to recent letters and articles in the T&A, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on the importance of the English language for immigrants who would appear not to be welcome otherwise.

What a pity! The British ruled over the Indian subcontinent for nearly two centuries but chose not to learn the native language. They now claim to be Europeans but how many can speak other European languages? France is only a few miles away but even the French are as alien to the British as ET.

It is important to remember that people can be successful and live alongside each other even without speaking the same language. My advice to immigrants is to ignore the rhetoric of narrow-minded people who cannot see beyond their own borders and speak their native language with pride, so as not to forget their roots and lose their identity.

Having said that, it is essential that everybody should be able to speak at least one international language, with English being the logical option.

Ideally, if people try to be bilingual or even multilingual rather than impose one language over another, then this may bring more understanding and harmony.

M A Choudhury, Ashwell Road, Heaton.

SIR - The big political machines have spoken. We're not to get a chance to decide whether or not we want more of the same, or a complete breakthrough to a new kind of public participation that a directly-elected mayor would give the ordinary people of our wonderful but deeply-troubled city.

Could there be a better demonstration of why such a change is radically necessary than this arbitrary, arrogant and downright undemocratic diktat?

Karl Dallas (Houston Media), Church Green, Bradford 8

SIR - I feel for all the workers at W & J Whitehead and hope that there is a brighter future ahead for them. Bradford was once the textile capital of the UK. Today our city is littered with derelict textile companies.

Unemployment has risen time and time again in Bradford. It seems that companies are reluctant to invest in Bradford, to bring new jobs and brighter futures for individuals of the city.

We need investment and training for Bradfordians to reduce unemployment and crime in our city, and make it a place where everyone is proud to be.

S Akram, Cecil Avenue, Bradford