THE first letter from "Fed-up Taxpayer" (Dec 6) suggesting support for the fascist BNP was, to say the least, annoying. The second, from "Another Fed-Up Taxpayer" (Dec 13) set the alarm bells ringing.

As someone who has suffered the attentions of the far-right, a hearse was sent to my home to pick up my "body", I must take issue with these two anonymous letter-writers. Also, as a life-long socialist, proud of my convictions, I always sign my letters. Why don't they?

As chairman of Bury Pensioners Association, I deny the allegation that pensioners are suffering because asylum-seekers are getting better treatment. The fact is that asylum-seekers get £73.50 per week and no more. Pensioners do get £200 per household for winter heating, and if they are on the Minimum Income Guarantee, they will get housing benefit and council tax benefit.

I am not in any way suggesting that pensioners are treated as well as they should be. Until this "Labour" government accepts our demand for the restoration of the link between pensions and earnings, we will carry on campaigning. But there is no way that we will accept that we are suffering because of the "better" treatment of refugees from Iraq, Afghanistan etc.

As for pensioners who "fought for this country . . ." Yes we did, but do the two correspondents know who we fought against? Let me remind them it was Nazi Germany, the country that had the kind of fascist government that members of the BNP look to as their mentors.

We will shortly commemorate the deaths of millions during the Second World War. On January 27, 2003 Holocaust Memorial Day will be observed and here, in Bury, there will be an event held in the Elizabethan Suite in the town hall on Thursday, January 23.

Maybe these two contributors will have time to think between now and then just what "benefits" they will get from their support of a fascist organisation. Fifty-five million dead was one result of such support.

P. KAISERMAN