Sir, – I am delighted at the judgment on Friday, November 13 at Northallerton Magistrates’ Court in favour of Coun John Blackie.

I have known Coun Blackie for some 15 years and I, too, have had my political disagreements with him. During this time Coun Blackie has always behaved in a gentlemanly manner and, in spite of my having needled him politically, he has never lost his temper.

I have come to realise that he is a truthful and hard-working person and consequently I felt that he deserved backing in some of the projects, especially health, in which he has been involved.

The problem with Coun Blackie is that he is a principled person and an achiever and has therefore generated envy amongst his less capable colleagues.

Coun Blackie has not only achieved a victory for himself, but has exposed the conspiratorial manner in which some of our local institutions are governed.

The Richmond Conservative Association has not only morally misbehaved but has actually acted contrary to the law, namely the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, by trying to oust Coun Blackie from office.

We should be entitled to elect our councillors and they should not be subject to a clique which meets in secret in order to conspire against the will of the people.

I have brought these issues to the Standards Committees of both county and district councils but, in their view, what has taken place is quite in order. In view of last week’s judgment, I now ask and challenge them to review the original complaint and see to it that integrity prevails in local democracy.

This affair also shows to me that the relationship between political pressure groups, the police and the Crown Prosecution Service in Harrogate needs a careful and detailed investigation.

What happened to Coun Blackie has also happened to me and those public institutions, namely the police and the CPS, ought to serve the people and not a small political clique.

BERNARD BORMAN Brentwood, Leyburn.