BNP

Our letter to members did not “instruct” them to do anything.

It urged them to vote in the local and European elections and suggested some questions relating to public services which could be asked of candidates.

It also stated the FBU’s opposition to the policies of the BNP. The BNP is a racist party run by fascists. I am extremely proud of the fact that our union, representing most firefighters in the UK, opposes such hateful and divisive policies. We are proud to represent all our members – black and white – and could not do so effectively unless we were opposed to racism.

It is, therefore, simply common sense and logic that we must be opposed to the policies of the BNP which would treat some of our members as second-class citizens.

We are also proud that, as firefighters, we serve all sections of the community equally – black and white. We are firmly opposed to racism and division and we support policies to improve the position of all working people in the UK.

Matt Wrack, General Secretary, Fire Brigades’ Union, Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey.

IN his letter calling for political change, D Hughes (HAS, June 10) draws upon the politics of scorn, pointing to Gordon Brown and the Labour Party as no longer representative of the working class.

There is no doubting we have problems, but so have many countries, the result of a global recession and bankers and some of their business cronies living off the fat of the land.

Actually, the Archbishop of Canterbury was right in urging a boycott of extreme marginal parties and, regardless of immigration policies, the threat posed by the British National Party cannot be underestimated.

It has little in the way of tolerance and believes in a “white only” policy when it comes to party membership.

Very recently, we saw the 65th commemoration of D-Day; memories of war, bravery and sacrifice and a bitter and bloody battle against the Nazis, whose rise as a force was in advocating ethnic cleansing, murdering Jews and causing massacre and mayhem.

For me, the BNP sends shivers down the spine and echoes an era and propaganda that thousands of servicemen and women fought hard to eliminate in a fight for freedom.

Bernie Walsh, Coxhoe, Durham.

I AGREE with Peter Hill’s remarks (HAS, June 12) regarding the protestors who threw eggs at the BNP leader, Nick Griffin, outside the Houses of Parliament (Echo, June 10).

We supposedly live in a democratic society and every politician, whether of the left or right, has the legal right to express their political opinions in public.

If you wish to protest at any of the elected British politicians, then don’t waste eggs – save them for the breakfast table.

Christopher Wardell, Darlington.