PETE Winstanley does nothing to further the debate on immigration by dismissing recent correspondents’ views as “hostile”, “prejudice” and “discrimination” (HAS, May 6).

I have said before that the intolerant are those who preach tolerance the loudest.

I myself have had insinuations of racism, xenophobia, alarmist and reactionary in response to my own views on immigration, something I consider hateful terms of abuse, particularly when they are not true.

Mr Winstanley agrees that known criminals and “preachers of hate” have been allowed into this country, and I would agree they are possibly in a minority.

But the issue should be: why are there any at all? We have our own scumbags and scoundrels, why import any more?

I would also point out, contrary to Mr Winstanley suggesting otherwise, that not one “preacher of hate” has been deported since Tony Blair promised they would be.

Since Labour came to power in 1997 the promotion of mass immigration has been a flagship policy, which was presented as an unalloyed benefit to our nation, boosting our economic prosperity and enriching the cultural diversity of our society.

Real consequences, like rising crime, overstretched public services and the loss of national identity, are denied or ignored.

Des More, Darlington.