THERE are two aspects to the row over Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Paul Browne calling Blackburn with Darwen Council's workers "a load of rubbish" which should not be confused -- what he said and his right to say it.

One of the major town hall trade unions is calling for Coun Browne to be hauled before a local government standards board for the comments he made in response to the council launching a new customer service award scheme for employees -- after a survey showed considerable public dissatisfaction.

It may be that the councillor considers his remarks merely reflected the opinion of people in his ward, but he nevertheless mistakenly fired a blunderbuss that rubbished all 8,000 employees. Plain common sense says that all cannot be poor performers and Coun Browne was wrong to tar all with the same brush.

While Blackburn with Darwen could do with a few more opposition councillors who truly challenge the policies of the ruling Labour group -- if only to produce a healthy amount of debate in the borough -- it doesn't need the unthinking and plainly unjust remarks of the kind uttered here by Paul Browne.

Yet, unfair as his remarks may have been, he does have a right to say them. Free speech may not always be fair. But it is more unfair -- and dangerous -- to try to prevent it.