ALTHOUGH I probably shouldn't have been, I was quite surprised by the reaction to and the mass hysteria engendered by the election of M Le Pen as candidate for the presidency of France -- not only in France, but here in England, with the mass media generally and every band-wagon-climber condemning the 'right wing' victory.

This was despite the fact that a large percentage of the voters voted for him, in many different parts of France.

I'm not sure what it means to be a 'right winger.' If it means to be a patriot, to deplore the state of the country and the erosion of our rights of free speech and expression, not to mention having the wish to retain our heritage, then there must be many right wingers in this country.

The demonstrators in France are almost anarchic as they are basically protesting against the rights of the individual to have his own opinion, vote for whom he wants, etc.

R BRACEWELL (Mr), Ormerod Street, Worsthorne, Burnley.