I STRONGLY disagree with your Opinion 'Who is it needs the retraining?" (LET, November 10).

I think that the Labour group at Blackburn with Darwen are dead right to pull the plug on Councillor Mike Madigan and on anyone else in this unitary authority whom they think are not performing properly.

The days of the loose cannons, windbags and bigots on the council should be long gone.

One particular phase of the 'breath of fresh air' syndrome that you ascribe to Coun Madigan comes easily to mind:

In the early Eighties, when he was a very powerful political figure on the council, he made us all very much aware of his pacifist and anti-armed services views.

His antagonistic attitude to the Army in particular resulted in it pulling out of its annual display at Witton Park - to the disappointment of thousands of Blackburn people who, together with their children, thoroughly enjoyed these shows year after year.

There were many of us who thought at the time that Coun Madigan should have been pulled in for some retraining. Well, it looks like the chickens have finally come home to roost - and not before time.

EDDIE DUXBURY, Arthur Way, Blackburn.

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