Letters to the Editor

SIR - I watched the funeral procession and service for PC Sharon Beshenivsky on BBC News 24.

I never met Sharon, but as a retired police officer still feel the outrage and loss as I am, and always will be part of that extended police family. I am therefore grateful for the BBC showing this in its entirety.

However, I was dismayed and disgusted by the inane commentary from Philippa Thomas who continually disturbed this emotionally charged event. She was telling us what we could see for ourselves, and what we really wanted to hear was faded down in her favour.

During the hymns she was interviewing people outside the cathedral and even the poignant musical tributes were voiced over.

Most disgusting of all was when the Bishop of Bradford was leading prayers for the city we could not participate as we had more inane interviews voiced over the prayers. The event for the viewer was wrecked.

Some commentary could be in order, if sandwiched sensitively in the many silent moments between items - but please, not during them!

I wonder if the BBC could lend me a video with the commentary removed?

Jens Hislop, Mill Hey, Haworth

On the wrong track

SIR - I agree totally about the rail link Donald Watson criticises (T&A, January 12).

The problem with a tram service is it could lead to rail companies doing away with Bradford altogether, relying on existing trains through Shipley with a sort of 'Parkway' station somewhere like West Bowling. These trains could run to Leeds without having to shuffle in and out of Bradford - a place that's living in the past as far as its train services go.

The problem for Bradford passengers is they'd be the ones delayed by having to change for the tram or shuttle or whatever - other's journey times would be reduced (one less reason to live in Bradford too).

I find it hard to believe Bradford folk don't realise they are a problem in rail transport terms. Astonishingly for a major city which is in the heart of England yet lacks direct express trains either to London or to Scotland - never mind east or west.

The only solution is for Bradford to get its rail link and remember that it was to disadvantage Bradford that the rival companies stopped this happening 150 years ago.

Martin Spicer, Bath Place, Halifax.

Worthwhile move

SIR - It is very good news that the Council has now made arrangements for all the old copies of the Yellow Pages directory to be recycled rather than being dumped in landfill sites where they decay at depth to produce methane, a very vigorous climate change gas.

All homes and businesses are getting new ones at the moment and as my old one weighed just over one and a half kilos I reckon that there will be about 300 tonnes of them to be recycled in the next few weeks.

This will be a real saving as not only will they bring in an income but there will be no cost for disposal and the overall saving is considerable.

Keith Thomson, Heights Lane, Bradford

Meals anomaly

SIR - I was surprised and dismayed to read Terry Rooney's comments on the issue of free school meals entitlements for new migrant families from EU membership countries (T&A, January 9).

For an MP who has a good record of supporting asylum seeker cases to use such populist rhetoric about welfare benefit entitlements encouraging a 'four, five or six-fold increase' is uncomfortably reminiscent of Mrs. Thatcher's use of the term 'swamping'.

There is no foundation for such a claim - it seems to have been simply plucked out of thin air and could undermine good community relations in the city. The real issue here is an anomaly over free school meals for children in the first year of residence when families come from EU membership countries and are entitled to settle here.

The idea that children can be left without a meal unless individual schools decide to fund them is unacceptable when they need proper nutrition for their physical and intellectual development.

Perhaps the Government and local MPs could address the issue seriously, as the local authority is doing through its review.

Steve Schofield, (Green Party Candidate, Heaton), Park Crescent, Bradford

Unpleasant rhetoric

SIR - I've listened to the death penalty debate with much interest and I find it difficult taking sides in such a grey issue.

If someone close to me was murdered I would probably be at the forefront campaigning for its restoration. Indeed, if the criterion was emphatic DNA evidence I wouldn't quibble about it.

At the same time I don't think it's necessarily a deterrent to evil people who are unable to contain themselves.

I suppose the compromise would have to be life to mean life, but this appears impossible with the vagaries of our legal system's adherence to the much-abused Human Rights Charters.

But wherever one stands on the debate one should respect the other point of view. Mr Wilson's retort to Mr Lorriman (T&A, January 9) was the most sarcastic, patronising letter I have read in this paper for a number of years.

There is an art to reasoned debate and one does no favours to one's pet hobby horse with rhetoric of that nature.

It's ironic that the liberal stance can often mirror the fanaticism of the right to cement its point.

Gordon Watson, Moore Avenue, Wibsey

Diseased system

SIR - Geoff Tasker ('Party of progress', T&A Letters, January 11) claims New Labour won a third victory "because Britain is working".

He appears to criticise P E Bird as a Tory, although P E Bird has previously sung the praises of New Labour's "strong, meaningful" government - this being infinitely preferable to elections held under a fair voting system.

Mr Tasker is quite wrong about New Labour winning because Britain is working. They won because our electoral system does not deliver a fair result in a situation where more than two parties exist (we have nine or ten including Irish and nationalist parties).

New Labour had a sizeable majority on under 40 per cent of the vote.

Your diehard New Labour and Tory correspondents criticise each other and their party policies while supporting the system that gives "strong", ('uncaring' or biased), and "meaningful" or "effective", (unchallengeable), government.

Why bother talking about the symptoms? The diseased electoral system needs rooting out!

John Hall, Pennithorne Avenue, Baildon, Shipley

Grave matter

SIR - I trust that J Keith Hustler was penning his letter (T&A, January 10) with his tongue firmly in cheek when he claims that God needs a gravestone to find anyone who has died.

I think he meant that in times gone by - people thought that perhaps God needed a pointer as to where to find the body of the departed soul.

As Christians believe that the soul goes straight to God then surely, God will only have to ask the soul where He can find the body.

Phil Boase, Elizabeth Street, Wyke