Having read the letters page last week, two letters stand out.

Firstly, Barry Thorne has to be applauded on his letter – Councillors should bury hatchet and work together (Keighley News, August 8) – asking for councillors to work together for the good of the town.

There is nothing to be gained from the long-running animosity between certain council members and their critics.

Working together for a common cause is the way forward – in all situations there is strength in unity. Mr Thorne’s admonition could be applied to much of what is happening in society today.

The current government had turned the private sector against the public sector, the healthy against the sick and workers against the unemployed. Whilst we all turn against our neighbours, driven by right-wing rhetoric, the rich continue to get richer whilst the lower classes get minimum wage, frozen pay and the bedroom tax. It is time to put an end to divide and conquer politics and unite in fighting for what is fair.

The Fire Brigades Union has balloted its members for industrial action. This is a last resort following government refusal to negotiate. The government wants firefighters to retire at 60 years old – a ridiculous idea in itself, and to add insult to injury they will take 50 per cent of a firefighter’s pension if he or she opts to leave the service early at 57.

The union cannot accept this offer and the government, in true Thatcher style, is looking to break the union.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has advertised for people to train as strike-breakers. It has also written to retirees (myself included) requesting assistance during any period of industrial action. This is an all-time low for industrial relations and, I would hope, receives no support.

Godfrey Bloom, the well-publicised ‘bongo bongo land’ MEP, had a letter in the Keighley News last week – Figures show just what a bad deal EU is for Britain. His well-documented comments on foreign aid, immigration and women demonstrate what UKIP stands for, and I hope Mr Bloom gets what he deserves at the next election.

He maintains he represents the views of Yorkshire people. I had the pleasure of being invited to share Eid celebrations with a family on Friday. This is a true picture of Keighley. There is no place in this town for right-wing politics, be it UKIP, BNP or Tory.

Joe O'Keeffe Fell Lane, Keighley