I WAS very worried when I read Hilton Dawson's letter about Stanley Henig and racism and then I became even more worried when I remembered that he is not merely a member of the public but an M.P. who ought to know better.

According to Dawson, the slogan "a vote for Labour is a vote for Henig" is racist. Does this mean that accusing anyone of being in the Labour Party is a racist slur? Tony Blair should be told. Presumably, at the next election, posters saying "Vote Labour, Vote Dawson" will be banned.

I jest, but, of course, his letter isn't funny, it's deplorable and, what is more, it's not the first time that people have played the racism card when Henig has been under legitimate and well merited attack. Henig has no faults, the preposterous argument goes, so that if you attack him you must be racist. It's a particularly nasty and underhand way of smearing one's opponents, and, worse still, it is demeaning and insulting to those who have genuinely suffered from racism or racial discrimination and who deserve our support, help and sympathy. Let's be quite clear. Henig's defeat had nothing whatsoever to do with his race, creed, colour, sexual preferences, taste in beer or size in shoes. Until Dawson's ridiculous letter, most people didn't even know that Henig was Jewish and still don't care. Quite rightly, it's irrelevant. What people objected to was the damage his regime has done to the district. One good thing: Dawson's letter has at least given the people a chance to see what passes for logical thought on the part of one of our M.P.s.

I think you would be wise to stand by for another complaint from him, this time arguing that you have deliberately and wilfully damaged his reputation by publishing his absurd diatribe.

Mike Ford, Silverdale

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.