I WRITE in response to Richard McSween and Helen Christie's letter re Burnley Council and the BNP (LET, November 16).

I do not think that the council have given in to pressure from the BNP but have acted in the interest of thousands of voters that voted for the BNP.

Bernard Manning was banned from Burnley Mechanics because his act and jokes were deemed racist and an insult to ethnic minorities, but at least Bernard Manning's were jokes.

Mr Hardy's comment re shooting BNP voters was hardly jovial was it? I hope that Burnley Council upholds its ban due to Mr Hardy's insult to the people living in Burnley that voted BNP. They are after all a legitimate political party.

ROY WALLBANK, Killington Street, Burnley.