ALMOST one million citizens of this country were killed or maimed in the Second World War in the fight for freedom and free speech.

Gerald Kaufman MP recently exercised his right to criticise the actions of Israeli thugs against the Palestinians on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and he obviously struck a nerve with members of the Manchester Jewish Representative Council. As a local MP, he was automatically a member of the council but, because he criticised their beloved Israel, he was "expelled".

So much for free speech, Jewish style.

DAVID BEHAR