IT IS encouraging to see the success of the Diversity Festival now taking place in Lancaster, even though it is possible to think 'better late than never' if you are a member of the trade union movement which has been fighting against the areas of prejudice which the festival organisers target.

We, therefore, urge people to attend, contribute towards and emulate the festival.

Because the confused middle classes tend to be the core supporters of extreme rightist organisations like the BNP and England First, trade unionists unconditionally support 'DF'.

For more than two centuries the trade union and socialist movements have been fighting against the capitalist ruling class and its attempts to divide and rule on the basis of differences in gender, class, sexual preference, race, age, religion, health and nationality.

We have made slow progress in all of these areas but there are still many in the ranks of our rulers who seek to 'roll back' and obstruct these gains and our continued progress.

Examples of this are the continuation of hated anti-union legislation and attacks on our civil liberties and rights to assemble, exacerbated by the cynical abuse of militarist illegal foreign adventurism in search of oil wealth.

We encourage all people sympathetic to the Diversity Festival to join trade unions relevant to their occupations and get involved in the mainstream of opposition to the many injustices we face today and will continue to face.

S K Metcalfe, Lancaster.