Letters

As if it wasn't enough to be thwarted over some baubles, lose a secretary, have complaints of too thin cushions, we now have a Mayoress doing a political back flip.

No sir, I am not laughing but angry that my beloved town is once more brought into ridicule. And all because of the parish pump politicians who set up this useless Town Council. A pox on the lot of them I say. Enough, let us be done with it.

Ray Garner,

Vernon Court

Keighley

SIR - Last week the Keighley News gave up any pretence of unbias/even-handed reporting and finally showed it's hand to everyone, now we all know that the Keighley News is just a publicity agent for the Labour party.

The "crossing over" to the BNP by Councillor Rose Thompson seems to have really put the cat among the pigeons in the corridors of power.

Councillor Rose Thompson who was once the darling of Keighley Council was elected Mayoress and Keighley Community Personality of the Year, it seems that because she has joined the BNP, she has been branded as an ogre/baby eater by the KN and now is unable to "string two words together"? absolutely amazing!

For what ever reason Malcolm Hoddy has been forced to show his "true colours" and hypocrisy? perhaps it is time that he should retire and pass on the mantle to someone who isn't so blinkered?

R Hickman

Craven road

Keighley

SIR - In response to the front page article in the Keighley News on Friday, March 17, 2006, I comment as follows:

Good for you Rose Thompson, you have made many of us sit up and think profoundly about the issues you raised in last weeks paper.

However, to make your point by joining the BNP does at first seem rather extreme. Still, with all the other national political parties in terminal decline, I guess you had nowhere else to go.

The issues you raised on immigration and public services makes perfect sense, let's sort the current mess out before we take in any more.

It is unforgivable that "main stream" politics has failed you in this, and other issues, by not facing up to the problems, and in one or two cases giving false hopes on funding.

My own experiences in dealing with the "out of touch" Bradford Council tells me we are no longer listened to, or taken notice of, on matters affecting our standards of living and quality of life here in Keighley. It is a pity our own, well informed, town council is not in charge. National politics has failed us all, manifestos are worthless, and promises are broken. Senior politicians are more concerned with accruing fat, unjustified pensions, than being honest brokers on important matters affecting our country.

As the main political parties occupy the political middle ground, voters no longer, have a choice, it's vote for one vote for all, whether we like it or not. No wonder the public has given up on national politics -- they are completely out of touch with the thinking of this country.

Rose, if you were to form an English party of National Unity based on the issues you are passionate about, I for one would vote for you. If Scotland can do it, so can England.

Forget the BNP. Unfortunately for them, they carry far too much baggage to ever make it. Become a creditable alternative for the people of this country. Put your energy elsewhere into a political idea we can all embrace and feel part of.

STUART HINCHLIFFE

Huntsmans Close

Keighley

SIR - How hypocritical can Tony Blair get?

He recently openly intimated on air that his incursion into Iraq to slaughter thousands of innocent civilians, including little children, was inspired by God.

This statement was an insult to all Christianity. I consequently refer him to the following:- "Suffer little children to come to me." To start using God as a military ally indicates to me that Blair is either running out of steam or mentally unfit to govern.

KEN MATHER

Farish House

Keighley

SIR - With the opening of the new surgery in Rawdon Road, Haworth, later this year, some thought and consideration should be given to those who attend such as elderly, disabled or parents with children.

To cross this busy by-pass road to gain access to the bus stop opposite the surgery entrance, some form of crossing seems to be needed.

With attendances twice daily over five days, and the volume of traffic from the surgery, it would be ironic if accidents occurred.

F SLACK

Station Road

Haworth

SIR - I am researching "The History Of Angling in Yorkshire", with a view of hopefully writing a book on the subject, and in so doing I am asking for the assistance of you and your readers.

At the moment I am looking for information on the following:

The Aire Fishing Club, (no longer in existence). The Bradford Eagle Angling Club, The Bingley Angling Club, The Saltaire Angling Association, The Kilnsey Angling Club, The Leeds and County Association, (according to records going back over 100 years, this is the oldest legitimate club in Leeds), The Holbeck Angling Society and The Yorkshire Angling Society.

These were all in existence at the turn of the last century around the l900s. I have found so far that the relevant information regarding them is somewhat sparse.

I am looking for such items as minute books, maps, old and new photographs, family documents, posters, accounts of fishing events, posters, stories (humorous or otherwise and of course relevant fishermen's tales) etc. These will go to make up the full story and hopefully to do it justice.

Everything will be treated with tender loving care and returned promptly as requested.

RONNIE NOBLE

3 Uplands, Skipton,

North Yorkshire BD23 1BJ

Tel: 01756 7695222; e-mail: srnoble@tiscali.co.uk

SIR - We hear news items of 14 million pound loans to the Labour Party and the right and wrongs of lenders being honoured.

It appals me to think that one can effectively buy a peerage -- though doubtless the Labour Party would dispute that.

Can someone please explain to me the difference between a loan and gift in these circumstances? Presumably a loan has be repaid, and a gift not. But as I see it, all our political parties spend money, they do not earn it.

So how can these massive loans ever be repaid - unless by accepting further loans to repay earlier ones? So they must be gifts. What kind of housekeeping it that?

Jens Hislop,

Haworth

SIR - With regard to the Down Memory Lane photograph which appeared in the March 17 edition of the KN. The band in question is actually the Keighley Salvation Army Band.

I know that the bandmaster was Mr Bolton and on the photo he is stood on the street at the extreme left of the group (his white epaulettes on his shoulders signify his bandmaster status). Also the bandsman sitting in the charabanc behind the driver and facing the camera is Mr Edgar Whitaker. Mr Whitaker's daughter Edna still attends the Salvation Army Corps in Keighley.

As is the practice today, Salvation Army bands often visit Corps in different parts of the country where they perform in weekend concerts and festivals.

E B CLARKSON

Lingfield Drive

Cross Roads

Keighley

Editor's note: Thank you for the information. A number of readers have been in touch with us to make the point.

SIR - There have been a few letters recently about this month being 'veggie month' in which people try to cut down on meat, if not only in March but as a long-term habit.

I was shocked at the figures Robyn produced and I disagreed with Frank's counter-arguments.

Frank stated that you needed meat in order to fulfil a balanced diet, but as a vegetarian I have had no trouble in getting the right amount of protein. (Also, Robyn spelt with a 'y' is generally a girl's name).

I agree with Robyn that if Keighley works together we can reduce or stop animal cruelty altogether simply be stating what we feel.

Testing shampoos and stuff on animals is cruel, they have done nothing to deserve this and even once they've been tested on animals, scientists have to test it on humans even more to see if they have the same effects.

Frank says that a physical job, ie builder, involves a meat-based diet, but as commented above, a vegetarian can have a balanced diet using meat supplements such as quorn, tofu and eggs.

KATHERINE HARRIS

(Age 12)

Ridgeway Mount

Exley Head

Keighley

SIR - Further to my letter of March 4, I am well aware that taking on the animal-rights lobby is a no-win situation, but I really must make one or two comments concerning the replies in last week's KN, and in particular the letter from R E Swindells.

If he had dug into his memory about the difference between the digestive systems of equines and humans, as he did to dig up some obscure quote by an equally obscure philosopher, made some two hundred years ago, then maybe his comments would be more acceptable.

I am reminded of a far more recent quote attributed to one Marion Morrison -- alias John Wayne -- who, when asked to read some lines from Shakespeare during an audition, read out the first few lines, then asked "Who wrote this s**** anyway?"

I was surprised that no-one mentioned my comment about cruelty being perpetrated by so-called animal-lovers (but animal-lovers wouldn't would they?) There was a classic example of what I meant in the papers last Thursday. There was a picture and story of a Rottweiller bitch which weighed fourteen and a half stones -- five to six stones heavier than normal; in fact, almost twice its normal weight.

The owner didn't accept that there was anything wrong with that. The silence of the animal rights people and, indeed, the RSPCA has been deafening. If that dog had been five stones under weight, the owner would have been arrested, fined heavily and banned from keeping a dog ever again. This travesty only underlines my comment that cruelty is like beauty -- it's in the eye of the beholder.

FRANK MORRIS

The Lindens

Skipton Road, Utley

SIR - The council have insisted that a load of trees be planted between the water and the road at Keighley Tarn

It is blocking off the view of the Tarn and will eventually damage the road. The trees should have been planted somewhere else.

JOHN NEIRY

St Peter's Court, Keighley