HOW joyous to watch the political establishment making itself look ridiculous. I refer to the dispute over a Durham City Liberal Democrat describing the city's Labour MP, who hails from Belfast (still part of the UK), as an "outsider".

The poisonous creed of political correctness is the source of this pathetic, phoney row.

Now I see Kevin Rowan, of the TUC, has endorsed the claim that the description is racist (HAS, Sept 11). No, it isn't. It's merely political banter.

Luminaries of the politically correct fraternity, who seem to have had a sense of humour bypass, exemplify the very poison that the combined misguided (but intentionally malicious) thinking of the political elite has inflicted upon us.

In Britain, the Draconian measures enshrining the PC creed in law (race relations, human rights, etc) are designed to silence the majority, hence when perpetrators of the injustices start swallowing their own propaganda it's especially pleasing.

Pathetic though this case may be, the source of it all, and the future potential for injustice, is more dangerous.

Dave Pascoe, Press Secretary, Hartlepool Branch, UK Independence Party.