Letters to the Editor

Before foot and mouth, the UK was exporting around 800,000 lambs and sheep a year, many being sent all the way to Italy, Greece and Spain. Many farmers are eager to return to this trade.

Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) investigations have revealed that animals suffer terribly on the long journeys to southern Europe. They become increasingly dehydrated, exhausted and stressed as the journey's wear on.

Some get injured while others collapse on the floor of the truck, where they are trampled by their companions. In the worst cases many die.

Once in southern Europe many British animals are killed in abattoirs using cruel and illegal slaughter methods. Animals could be slaughtered here in Britain with our exports being in meat form.

As foot and mouth comes to an end many people want to see farming go forward in a way which is humane and sustainable and not to be tarnished by the cruelty of live animal exports. The export of live animals is a vile and reprehensible trade that must never resume.

GWYN HAMILTON

Burnroyd Avenue, Cross Hills.

SIR - I am the current custodian of an oak writing desk manufactured by "A Fortune & Coy Ltd, Cabinet Makers and Upholsterers, 59 Cavendish Street, Keigley, Tel 21."

The style of the desk is, I think, "The Britisher Desk. Patent applied for", and as the company telephone number is 21, I believe it would have been made during the earlier part of the 20th century.

I would be grateful for any information anyone could give me on this company, its period of existence and the people involved (tel. 01484 715700).

JOAN M GREEN

12 Carr Green Close Brighouse, West Yorkshire.

SIR - Bradford City of Culture? I find this an astonishing proposal indicative of either the early onset of Old Timers disease or the ingesting of prohibited hallucinogenic substances.

Still, it will be entertaining to witness the verbal engineering required to sell Bradford to potential tourists and investors.

Jo Moore, of "a good day for undertaking" fame would be an eminently suitable candidate for the task.

Welcome to Bradford, a city boasting many fine points. Such as Haworth, the residents of which want nothing to do with Bradford but who cares?

Near the city centre you will see the smouldering ruins of the BMW showrooms and the Labour Club. Quite edifying when observed against a backdrop of sickening urban decay.

The large heavily fortified building is the police station. This is a busy vibrant facility where half the officers are on sick leave with post riot stress syndrome; the other half are actively seeking transfers to North Yorkshire or the Galapagos Islands.

Bradford is blessed with almost instant access to the M62, which as all motorists will tell you is Europe's longest car park.

Bradford is a flagship area in the fight against discrimination. So much so that the streets are equally as dangerous during the day as they are at night.

Not to worry though, Bradford welcomes study groups -- come and watch as the entire area slides into a maelstrom of social disintegration, with drugs wars and narcotic driven theft.

And it's all beautifully presented in expensive reports detailing what everyone already knows.

Sportswise, the city is seriously illuminating. This year we're fielding a team in the World Molotov Cocktail Championships, taking on the Intifada and an up and coming side of unknowns from downtown Buenos Aries.

FRANK BRAMMAH

Address Supplied.

SIR - On page eight of the Keighley News (February 22), Malcolm Hoddy, the editor, wrote: "All in all Keighley is a capital of culture in its own right".

On the front page, in the same edition, the seven headlines were as follows: "Unite to stop the killings", "Police quiz drivers at scene of attack", "Murder charge: man in Court", "Bid for blue light district", "Bad heroin batch alert", "Arrest tally", "Traders blow a fuse as the lights go out".

With all that going on in Keighley the question that should be answered is, can Bradford compete with Keighley as a cultural centre?

MRS RUTH BLACKMAN

Prince Street, Haworth.

SIR - I would have thought it was obvious there needs to be radical reforms of the criminal justice system now that the council tax payer is picking up the bill for the Bradford riots.

Just a few obvious suggestions come to mind.

1 A law banning the use of explosives and missiles with intent to maim or kill civilians.

2 A law preventing parents from abusing child benefit.

3 A law against the use of drugs for leisure purposes.

4 A licence on the use of videos.

A word of advice to the Government, those who can't or won't find a solution please don't obstruct those MPs who are doing their job.

Politics is not just a birthday party. What's the use of technology without quality of life.

Is Bradford to be multicultural or not?

K ANDOH

Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley.

SIR - James Pressley's amusing and adroit letter (February 22) asked if I have second sight.

Sadly, no. The truth is any second sight people may suppose I have is due to the copious amount of information I receive from numerous Keighley and Bradford officials and party politicians, many of whom are now my personal friends, not the monsters he thinks I see.

The writer asked if I have observed either Cllr Hopkins sacrificing goats or Cllr Thorne howling at the moon. No I haven't.

However, while I know and admire both these men personally, as I do other local politicians, what these two stalwarts of Keighley's political scene do behind closed doors has never been discussed with me in the many meetings I have had with them.

Mr Pressley's observation that I may be seeing visions of demons and that my next accusation could be that Keighley's bus station is a temple of Satan needs further investigation, so I can't comment.

Any fight that I may have with officialdom is because of government fixation with secrecy, local and national.

In my view, public officials or party politicians should never withhold information from the public.

No information should ever be privleged.

For many years, the press, enlightened officials, and for that matter, some politicians have been fighting for the right of open government. If I am, because of my allegiance to such a cause, to be castigated as demonic, so be it.

DAVID SAMUELS

Station Road, Oxenhope.

SIR - My thanks to James Pressley for his amusing letter 'Satanic Temple (February 22).

I can say with honesty that it gave me a good laugh on what was overwise a dull Friday morning.

If Mr Pressley reads this newspaper on a regular basis he will know that David Samuels, along with other members of the Aire Worth Reform Association, fought a battle against the odds for autonomy for Keighley.

This included standing in local elections as candidates, funding one's own expenses, standing on draughty street corners handing out leaflets and attending various meetings.

At this time, the prospect of a Keighley town council looks good, so what is Mr Pressley doing? Is he going to seek nomination as a candidate for his own area? Will we see him in action or will he just carry on making a noise?

Finally, for Mr Pressley's information, the pentacle or pentagram has nothing to do with satanic worship. It is, I believe, a symbol of wicca, the old religion, whose creed is do as you will but harm no one, the five points of the symbol represent the five senses of man; perhaps it may be a good idea to put one in our town halls.

R P BEALE

Skipton Road, Cononley.

Editor's note: The dictionary defination of pentacle or pentagram is a five-star figure used by Pythagoreans, black magicians, and wicca is the cult or pratice of witchcraft.

SIR - This letter is to inform traders and readers about the implications of the recent "Metric Martyrs" court judgement and their forthcoming Appeal to the House of Lords.

On February 18, two divisional judges dismissed an attempt by five traders to overturn their criminal convictions for selling in pounds and ounces.

The judges' view was that the 1972 European Communities Act, compelling metrication, is capable of overriding later Acts of Parliament, in this case the 1985 Weights and Measures Act allowing pounds and ounces.

This interpretation of the 1972 act is contrary to constitutional law which says if two acts conflict, the later act takes precedence over the first. This is to ensure that power always resides with the Parliament of the present so that it may correct errors of the past.

If the new ruling is correct, however, ministers will effectively be able to pass, repeal or amend Acts of Parliament without recourse to Parliament.

They need only project powers of the 1972 act into the future, meaning power will pass from elected Parliaments to ministers implementing EU directives. Such is the importance of this change that the judges have announced that they cannot make a final binding decision on this matter.

They have, therefore, allowed the traders to appeal to the House of Lords. If, as hoped, the Lords rule that later acts must prevail over earlier acts, pounds and ounces will remain lawful and the convictions will be quashed. On March 1, the traders will lodge their appeal to be heard later this year.

They will be entirely dependent on the public for financial support. Readers can make donations online at www.metricmartyrs.com, or by making cheques payable to "Metric Martyrs Defence Fund" and posting to: PO Box 526, Sunderland SR1 3YS. Pounds and ounces may yet be saved.

John Gardner

Research Officer, British Weights and Measures Association.

SIR - Hi Chris Tarrant here ... I want to tell you why I'm backing The Prostate Cancer Charity's Prostate Cancer Awareness Week 2002 (March 24 - 1 April 1). Every year in the UK over 10,000 men will die from prostate cancer, yet many of these deaths could be prevented.

I would like to see a change in attitudes and convince men to look after themselves and not to be embarrassed to see their doctor if they think something might be wrong.

Throughout the week, experts will be on hand daily to talk about signs and symptoms, or any other aspects of the disease callers may want to talk about (0845 300 8383)

The charity is also keen to recruit volunteers prior to and during Awareness Week.

Why don't you get involved? You can, just by phoning 020 8222 7622.

Chris Tarrant

On behalf of The Prostate Cancer Charity.

SIR - On Wednesday March 6 there is to be a lobby of Parliament on the themes of peace, development and strengthening the United Nations. There will be calls to the Government to oppose the United States' plans for missile defence and the weaponisation of space, and to support all arms control laws and treaties relating to weapons of mass destruction.

Support is also being urged for sustainable development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.

Initiated by the United Nations Association but supported by many other peace and justice organisations, it is imperative that people yearning for a more just and peaceful world make their views known to the Government through their MP. The MP can be seen at the House of Commons on March 6 or at your constituency office any time by making an appointment.

A lobby pack is available from: Lobby Coalition, c/o UNA/Action for UN Renewal, 3 Whitehall Court, London SW1A 2EL.

SYLVIA BOYES

Wimborne Drive, Keighley.

SIR - I am trying to trace, for another person, anyone who was attending Keighley Technical School, 1951-1953. Is there an Old Boys Association? If anyone has information please contact me at 9 Broken Banks, Colne, Lancs BB8 OSY.

MRS P TILLEY