Criticisms labelled 'wild assertions'

This time his not very seasonal greetings embraced BSE and SERPS. He appears to have convinced himself that the whole BSE affair was some devilish Conservative Government plot designed to wipe out the population of the United Kingdom.

In reality BSE was something that was always going to happen whichever Government was in power at the time. Once BSE and its consequences were understood and appreciated by the scientists, and it has to be said to this day they do not all agree, the then Government was faced with an unprecedentedly difficult and unique situation.

Blessed with hindsight, Mr Dickinson may feel the aftermath of BSE could have been handled differently, but for him to suggest that relatives of CJD victims and people in their right mind would never vote Tory is nothing less than a gratuitous insult to the electorate as a whole.

Turning to SERPS, he asks how many ordinary people were misled. The answer has to be millions - all misled by Labour's Barbara Castle, the pensions Minister at the time, who introduced SERPS, a scheme which was clearly unsustainable from the very outset.

Although well publicised at the time, the corrective action taken some years ago has come under the spotlight because the civil service failed until comparatively recently to amend its own publications incorporating the rule changes for surviving spouses .

If Mr Dickinson has been working on his New Year's Resolutions the avoidance of cant and political hyperbole should feature high on his list.

Coun Clive Fox

Otley & Wharfedale Ward.

Budget limited

SIR, - Over the past couple of years I have sadly visited Rawdon Crematorium on several occasions, the last time being three months or so ago.

During this period I have noted the deteriorating footways where the Tarmac is breaking and crumbling. At one point this exit driveway for vehicles was so full of potholes I feared the suspension of my car.

To be fair, some time ago work was done to repair the worst potholes, but it was much too little and too late.

One gets a clear impression from all this that only a very inadequate and limited budget is made available for this essential service by a council that can waste £12 million on a Millennium Square that, apart from the council, not a lot of people appear to be very interested in.

H Robinson

Bradford Road,

Otley.

Treated Royally

SIR, - As a carer to a severely disabled wife, paid £40 Invalid Care Allowance for a minimum of 35 hours' work and subject to constant battles, means testing and NHS eligibility criteria to obtain services, it is a great comfort to know our Royal Family will not suffer the same indignities as 'common' people.

Likewise, the elderly who have to sell their homes to pay for means tested nursing care will similarly be comforted. Princess Margaret, that deity of 'high' moral standards, 'respectability' and 'clean' living, is being provided with continuous nursing care, 'at home' at State expense, free of either means testing or NHS eligibility criteria.

Of course, we understand being of Royal blood, and who has given her life dedicated to the pursuit of hedonism, she must not be subjected to the same rules as 'common people'. She has a 'right by birth' to expect nothing but the best.

She deserves to be given priority over those like us who have filled our lives with mundane work such as teaching, nursing, mining or manufacturing. NHS waiting lists for treatment, eligibility criteria and means testing are only for the lower classes.

As our homes come under the hammer to pay social services bills and nursing home fees, we can take comfort in the knowledge that Princess Margaret and the rest of the Royal Family will always be very well taken care of - at our expense.

Malcolm Naylor

21 Grange View,

Otley.

Industry shackles

SIR, - Gordon Brown's assertion that he can achieve full employment through a programme of IT training ignores the fact that since May, 1997, we have lost more than 250,000 jobs in manufacturing.

For over ten years I worked in the automotive industry, manufacturing engine components. When we set up a new foundry in Leeds, the jobs created were full-time, permanent, and well paid, allowing our workers to provide for their family and to participate in society.

Manufacturing offers well paid jobs to a traditional work force. This is not always the case in the service sector, while the IT sector needs workers with totally different skills, education and experience.

Over the last three years I've witnessed Britain becoming increasingly uncompetitive for manufacturing, as demonstrated by the job losses at Rover, Ford and Vauxhall, with knock-on effects for the component supply industry in our region.

This Government has reduced our competitiveness with increasing regulation and red tape, the energy tax which hits manufacturers disproportionately, the weighty bureaucracy of the European Working Time Directive and the highest fuel costs in Europe.

The next Conservative Government is committed to deregulation because this is the only way to set our manufacturers free to innovate, improve, make profits and provide real jobs.

Adam Pritchard

Prospective Conservative

Parliamentary Candidate,

Leeds NW,

460A Roundhay Road,

Leeds, LS8 2HU.

Lions' record

SIR, - On behalf of our President, John Hopwood, and members of the Ilkley Moors Lions Club (formerly Wharfedale Lions Club) may I take this opportunity to thank everyone who has supported us with our main events of the Duck Race, Bonfire & Fireworks Display and other events during the year 2000.

Their help has been much appreciated and has helped considerably towards our service work and support of people less fortunate than ourselves.

Lions Clubs International are proud of the fact that all the money raised goes to their service work and charity. Nothing is taken for administration costs. All administrations costs are paid for by the Lions themselves.

Through the support of businesses and the public we have been able to make donations of £250 to an Eye Camp where more than 300 people were treated for blindness or partial loss of sight, £250 to Water Wells, £200 to the Lions Club International Foundation for emergency relief, £200 to Special Olympics for the Disabled, £350 to Cystic Fibrosis, £350 to Deaf/BlindUk, plus many other smaller donations to local people and causes.

A piece of equipment for physiotherapy has been provided for the Coronation Hospital. An appeal and collection of blankets was was made for the Mozambique Appeal, Band concerts have been held in Ilkley for nearly 400 elderly and disabled people, a trip to Todmorden Band Concert for 50 elderly plus a Christmas party for 100 elderly and disabled.

A coach was provided for a partially sighted outing. The young have not been forgotten either. We have had great co-operation and help from the Wharfedale Air Training Squadron with the Bonfire and Duck Race and the Ben Rhydding Scouts and Addingham Cubs with the Duck Race and have benefited from our fundraising. We have also run a peace poster competition for young people between the ages 11 and 13 years.

We have tried to find young people who do a lot of good work in the community for them to take part in our International Youth Award project. We have also continued with our on-going Lions Clubs Drug Awareness programme for young people. All these events and projects may seem like hard work but we have fun whilst doing them and, in addition, we have enjoyed quizzes, games evenings, visiting other clubs and attending their social functions.

Our motto is 'We Serve' and that is what we try to do and to maintain the standards we have set over many years. We would welcome new members men and women. It is most enjoyable with a friendly and fun atmosphere.

Meetings are held on the 2nd and 4th of each month at the Red Lion, Burley-in-Wharfedale, at 8pm and we thank Chris and Babs and their staff for their friendliness and allowing us to meet there.

Wishing all your readers and our supporters a very Happy and Prosperous New Year. And every good wish for the future.

Jim Shelton

Secretary,

Ilkley Moors Lions Club,

30 Lawn Avenue,

Burley-in-Wharfedale..

Praise for lights

SIR, - I have been to Burley-in-Wharfedale visiting friends at several times of the year.

I love the village, the countryside which surrounds it, and, of course, I love my friends

This year after the local service on Christmas Eve, we drove through the village and I saw the wonderful display of the Christmas lights.

I was so taken with it that I had to write and congratulate whoever has been in charge of making Burley look so full of Christmas spirit.

With best wishes for a happy New Year.

I DICKINSON

Waterloo Road,

Preston,

Lancashire.

Lions thanked

SIR, - On behalf of all the meals on wheels recipients, I would like to thank the Otley Lions who so very kindly delivered chocolates and biscuits to everyone this Christmas.

Also a happy new year and a special thank you to all the ladies and gentlemen who turn out so cheerfully to make sure the meals on wheels are delivered regardless of the weather and their own commitments.

Barbara Deakin

Project Manager,

Meals on Wheels,

WRVS,

Wesley Street,

Otley.