Can I be a victim of hate crime?

SIR - It heartened me to see the independent think tank Civitas receive cross-party support from Mr Davies and Mrs Cryer about their assertion that political correctness has a negative effect on Britain.

Just a pity that Terry Rooney could not come on board it, proving once again how out of touch with public opinion he is.

The Silent Majority will raise a wry smile at the following quote from the report - "The politically correct truth is publicly proclaimed correct by politicians, celebrities and the BBC even if it is wrong, while the factually correct truth is publicly condemned as wrong even when it is right".

Which brings me to the so-called Bradford Hate Crime Alliance and their obsession with 'Islamaphobia' and the like.

In my locality it is a common occurrence for an indigenous person, even one as old as me, to be insulted by Asian youths. Does this come under the remit of this 'alliance' or do they not get reports of this nature?

If they do not I can only assume that people think it futile in this age.

Mrs Denise Walters, Glendare Road, Lidget Green

Odious sentence

SIR - Some time ago appearing as a character witness at the trial of a 64-year old local man, I said I had known the defendant for several decades, and had found him to be honest, straightforward and a privilege to know.

The court also heard from a hospital surgeon who said the accused had a severe illness and was unlikely to survive more than two years.

This evidence did not deter the judge from jailing him for 15 months. He died about two years later.

The nature of his offence was to have handled a quantity of cigarettes on which duty had not been paid.

This week the trial of a police chief inspector, also master of his Freemasonry lodge, heard that in order to finance his extra-marital affairs, and in defiance of police regulations, he had obtained a second position as company secretary with his local golf club and systematically stolen in excess of £25,000.

In these circumstances, how could he expect to avoid imprisonment? But, you've guessed - a sympathetic judge handed down a suspended sentence.

When the bard declared "comparisons are odious", he said a mouthful. They don't get much more odious than this!

Bryan Owram, Main Street, Esholt

Tax is all wrong

SIR - I was disgusted at your front page story (T&A, January 5) about a tax on crisps and fizzy drinks and what the authorities were going to do with the funds raised.

This is akin to pimping; knowing that people will succumb to the increased prices and the Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust not one jot bothered about the purchasers' health.

The only moral solution would be to remove the crisps and fizzy drinks from the premises and live with the shortfall in revenue.

Why not add a further £1 on to the parking charges and make everybody suffer? I despair but the powers-that-be do not.

P E Bird, Nab Wood Terrace, Shipley

Deserving cases

SIR - Regarding the article (T&A, December 28) about the £4 million council tax surplus that has "mysteriously" appeared, there seems to be a consensus of where this money should be spent.

I have a better idea, either cut the increase in council tax to inflation or do not increase council tax at all.

I notice, and so do others, when council tax increases are discussed, the general public do not hear hardly any dissent from our councillors. In fact you do not hear anything from some.

I think Mrs Eaton and the rest of the Council are forgetting that pensioners and various other sections of the community are on fixed incomes, so a five per cent increase is too much.

So instead of discussing what to spend this so-called amount of £4 million on, think of others on low incomes and fixed incomes and let's hear from the silent councillors.

Michael Breen, Bolton Hall Road, Bradford

Party of progress

SIR - I would emphatically say to P E Bird that you can't defend the indefensible.

I assume, you were a member of the worst Tory government since they were formed.

They took this country to the brink of bankruptcy, and demoralised the lowly and the working classes - if you were working that is.

The wealthy, usually the Tories, spawned the word yuppies, knocking it back in their trendy wine bars, oblivious to what was going on around the country.

Fortunately the country woke up, resulting in a landslide victory for New Labour, followed by another, and despite Blair being less popular a third historic time, because Britain is working.

If Gordon Brown did inherit a sound economy, he has spent it wisely.

Paying decent wages was a master stroke, breathing new life into the NHS, letting the teachers know they were appreciated, and strengthening every police force.

Do you honestly think we would have had Home Start, Sure Start, New Deal, ASBOs, PCSOs, winter fuel payments, minimum wages, miners' compensation, help with collapsed pension schemes, trains full to bursting, etc, under the Tories?

Dream on Mr Bird. Thatcher the milk snatcher springs to mind!

Geoff Tasker, Park Road, Low Moor

Water feature

SIR - Some readers may not know why there is such a high solid wall at the bottom end of Lawcroft House Police Station on Lilycroft Road.

It is not true the police had it designed like this to prevent them seeing down Oak Lane. They have windows on Lilycroft Road to let the light in.

The truth is that Lawcroft House police station was a water feature, in fact a mill dam, hence the high wall to cope with the slope of Lilycroft Road.

It was drained, filled in and is now the site of the police station.

Meanwhile, in the city centre, the exact reversal is planned; pull down the police station and build a water feature.

Funny old world isn't it?

Gary Lorriman, North Walk, Harden

Library on the net

SIR - I would like to compliment Bradford Council on its library service and publicise an excellent service which they now undertake.

Via the internet one can browse the entire catalogue and then reserve an item, irrespective of which library it's in. You can then choose to have the book delivered to your local satellite library. When it's ready, the Council either call you or send you a postcard to pick it up. In most cases there is no charge.

By doing this I've discovered that there's a great deal more available than you see on the shelves. It also saves you travelling across Bradford to get an item you desire.

So far the Council has been very efficient in doing this and displayed excellent customer service. Next time, before you buy a book, I recommend doing this first, you may save yourself some much needed money.

Andrew Shepherd, Plumpton Walk, Bradford

Way off the mark

SIR - Gary Lorriman (T&A, January 5) criticised the Archbishop of Canterbury for preaching the doctrine of forgiveness. That is akin to criticising Brian Noble for supporting Bradford Bulls!

Get real, Gary!

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley.