REGARDING Jack Straw's "revelation" at the residents' meeting held at the Ivy Street Community Centre in Blackburn (LET, June 7).

What your report failed to state is that his comments came out of a question that was not race-related, but was directly to do with the residents of the Infirmary area not having their views taken seriously about the area becoming one ward for voting purposes, and that no representation was made to the Boundary Commission on their behalf while talks were ongoing about the recent ward boundary changes.

Mr Straw's announcement was probably more to do with the national and local press being present and perhaps a shot across the bows for the local elections next June.

The point about the Infirmary area having its own ward and hence, elected representatives who will look after the interests of the people in the area has been made on numerous occasions at residents' meetings over the years and obviously ignored.

Mr Straw seized on the slightest mention of the Queens Park Ward (one of the areas which rather bizarrely cover the Infirmary area) to notify everyone about the current report being compiled into funding in different areas.

It seems that he and the rest of the Labour Party seem to have a chip on their shoulder with regards to the commonly-held view that funding is more forthcoming in certain parts of the borough than others.

It also indicates that race is certainly on the minds of the leaders of Blackburn even though none of the residents at the meeting raised any questions regarding race matters.

Your report also failed to mention that none of the six councillors who represent the area (not all were present) or the council leader Bill Taylor spoke or answered any questions.

Perhaps this was to do with their somewhat-bizarre performance at the last meeting which turned into a scene similar to a public house argument when they became uncomfortable about some home truths that were raised from the floor. hence, a lot of the questions from the floor failed to be answered.

ANDREW FOULDS, William Street, Grimshaw Park, Blackburn.