THE jury at the trial of the BNP leader and his colleague at the Leeds Crown Court came to the correct verdict of not guilty of inciting racial hatred.

This was a victory for common sense and free speech. Many of the things that these two men said at that BNP meeting in Keighley will have upset some people and probably many Muslims, but they were not breaking any laws.

The meeting was taking place in a local pub, and no one could be at that meeting unless they were paid-up BNP members and supporters, and thus all who were there were already full of hate and loathing and could not be incited.

The situation is very different from that of the Muslim Mizanur Rahman, who was found guilty of inciting racial hatred as he was out on the streets with placards calling for the killing of anyone who offended the prophet Mohammed and Islam.

The two BNP men had already been acquitted of six race offences by a different jury several months ago, and the Crown Prosecution Service were very stupid to bring all these charges when the defence was holding all the aces.

Somehow we have to find a way to discuss items like religion, immigration, multiculturism, integration, asylum seekers and overcrowding without the immediate accusations of racism, bigotry and fascism.

Sadly, we are a million miles away from achieving that.

David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Acomb, York.