RATHER belatedly, may I congratulate 'Leaver at Large' on his extremely sensible column regarding the election of members of the BNP to the council in Burnley (LET, May 8).

These results had certain politicians, bleeding hearts, do-gooders etc, running around like chickens with their heads cut off, and the epithets which have been hurled at voters in certain areas, en bloc, have been ridiculously insulting, to say the least.

I believe that the restrictions that have been placed on the freedom of speech and expression by political correctness and organisations such as the Commission for Racial Equality -- which is a complete misnomer -- have, generally speaking, caused these results.

The ballot box has been the only way that reasonable, intelligent voters can express their dissatisfaction at the state of affairs which has been allowed to develop locally and nationally.

However, as Leaver suggests, perhaps it has been a wake up call, because it appears that at least our great leader seems about to do something positive about immigration.

ROY BRACEWELL, Ormerod Street, Worsthorne, Burnley.