Racism in the police still needs tackling

FOLLOWING the recent comments made by Keighley MP Kris Hopkins, regarding racism among the police force, I must say that these comments should have been made a long time ago.

I do appreciate that the police have gone a long way in telling the public that they are trying to change the culture of police operations, introducing many policies to tackle this issue etc.

However, the fact is that police racism is still happening, and the PCC continue to fail to protect members of the public racially abuse by the police force. Furthermore, interestingly enough, when a complaint is made against a serving police officer, that alleged complaint is normally investigated by their colleagues within the department, which inevitably leads to a “colluding culture”.

To avoid all this expense and hard work, this can be resolved in a simple and cost-effective way, if we follow what Kris Hopkins is suggesting, that the police officers who are found guilty of this act should be sacked.

However, I would like to add and suggest that if this type of offence is named as a criminal offence, then the guilty officers should be named and shamed in the society.

It is the sentiments of many young people in Bradford, that they have no faith in the police force, and don’t feel that they are protected by police officers. Not all police officers are racist, but where an officer knows of the wrongdoing of their colleague, they should act and report their colleague and not collude.

This is a serious issue which needs to be addressed, and changes need to be made immediately with a view to restore confidence.

From: Michael Ross, Weeton Lane, Dunkeswick, North Yorkshire.

I HAVE read a number of theories as to why/how George Galloway overturned a huge Labour majority in Bradford West. Most of them referring to deprivation, disaffection, unemployment etc.

While some of the aforementioned may be applicable, the real reasons are far simpler but infinitely more sinister and far reaching, as Mr Galloway knows and has cleverly exploited.

There are now several constituencies in the UK populated by voters who are not “Land of Hope and Glory” middle Englanders and who have little interest in the country that feeds, clothes and educates them.

They have a very different agenda and a rabble rouser, particularly one who is caucasian with some lowly celebrity status is just the man for them, so they think.

Mr Galloway is skilled at exploiting these people with his anti-Iraq war, anti-US, anti-Israel rhetoric and anything else which undermines hard-pressed democracy. He is totally transparent to those who bother to look and his constituents may one day believe as I do that Mr Galloway’s main interest is Mr Galloway.

The real lesson of the Bradford by-election is for all those in office who are supposedly charged with looking after the interests of the majority in this country, is to fast forward 50 years and to take swift action now to preserve, if they wish, what is left of the British character, whatever that may now be.

Keep courses for horses

From: Alan Rogers, Raywell Hall Park, Riplingham Road, Raywell, East Yorkshire.

WITH reference to the letter from Maureen Hunt (Yorkshire Post, April 28) in which she compares the London Marathon to the Grand National, you cannot do this.

Firstly, the marathon, which I would love to do (if I were 60 years younger) is a world event raising millions for charity and I agree totally with her thinking and her facts are spot on.

Secondly, and much more importantly, the marathon is run voluntarily, by choice. No one is forced to run the 26 miles of the course. In the Grand National all the horses are forced in to the jumps – no choice.

For those who complete the course, and having brought their riders safely over high fences, they could be whipped at the finish – is this sport or cruelty?

Good luck to Keith Handley in his wish to improve conditions.

All animal lovers and the majority of ordinary fair-minded people will back him.

Undemocratic Mrs Merkel

From: Rodney Atkinson, Meadowfield Road, Stocksfield, Northumberland.

THE truly anti-democratic nature of the European Union is made clear in recent utterances by Chancellor Merkel and the European Commission.

Mrs Merkel repeats that the eurozone fiscal pact (which dictates non democratic central control of all Eurozone countries’ taxes and spending) “will last for ever” and “cannot be amended”.

The European Commission said the pact was signed by states not by governments (the classic attitude of those who have contempt for voters) and claims that “Governments change but commitments on behalf of states cannot be changed without discussion with European partners”.

In the UK, no parliament can bind its successors. If they could, no election would mean anything.

This elementary definition of democracy is apparently alien to the Euro-elite – which is why their diktats have led to financial misery and democratic collapse and why they are so despised throughout Europe.