SIR - Taking the trade union bashing of Shipley MP Philip Davies as a starting point, and notwithstanding his own admission to being a past trade union member, your correspondent DS Boyes disgracefully denies the representation and security of a union to the working people of Bradford Council through a limited number of persons they provide to act on others’ behalf.

He justifies his conclusion by tarring these workers as unskilled staff, working in a non-commercial organisation – as if they shouldn’t need any representation at all.

Pile on some bile about the unions not being poor (?), hating the capitalist system but investing in equities and gloating over the profits (?) with reference to a deal struck with the HMRC (?) and the scene is set.

The leader of Bradford Council is on record as stating that the present arrangement, dealing with a few representing the many, is cost effective.

As for Mr Davies, the monetary value of the opportunity recently wasted at PMQ (when he pathetically slow bowled the Prime Minister a question on the theft of dogs in the Bradford area rather than what economic help Bradford could expect from central government) must eclipse the sum on DSB’s mind.

A Waterhouse, Barmby Road, Bradford