HOW kind of Councillor Maureen Bateson, 'Council taxpayers not footing bill' (Letters, August 10), to put us all straight and allay our understandable, if foolish, fears about the influx of asylum seekers in this area.

Perhaps I am being obtuse, but whether funding comes from council tax or central government, isn't the ultimate source the long-suffering British taxpayer?

As such, might we be entitled to voice an opinion on where our hard-earned cash is spent and to perhaps ask why, with the NHS crumbling and our elderly being treated like second-class citizens in their own country, we appear to have an endless supply of money to lavish on the unceasing flow of illegal immigrants?

Incidentally, before the inevitable cry of 'racist' is heard, I am sure that many immigrants who came here in the past 50 years quite legally and worked hard to be accepted are equally incensed.

The tedious practice of equating the plight of economic migrants and their dubious claim to be here with that of genuine victims of persecution during the holocaust is little more than a cynical ploy to stifle criticism of this government's shambolic immigration system.

As for we poor, ignorant voters being misled by those dastardly right-wing extremists, I expect the latter were not aware that the Government has the monopoly on deceiving the electorate.

It is not a few leaflets, which will inflame our passions further, it is smug, patronising politicians, of all mainstream parties who will not listen and treat ordinary people with contempt, which will do that.

S LOVE (Mrs), Avenue Parade, Accrington.