IT saddens me to read the Echo reports on Ferryhill Town Councillor, the current Mayor of Ferryhill, Pastor Richard Smith’s defence of his homophobic and racist Facebook postings.

I would, first of all, advise Councillor Smith to seek out and read the often quoted speech of the anti-Nazi German preacher Pastor Martin Niemöller which, if my memory serves me well, goes as follows: “When they came for the Communists I was not a Communist so I did nothing. When they came for the disabled I was not disabled so I did nothing. When they came for the trade unionists I was not a trade unionist so I did nothing and when they came for the Jews I was not a Jew so I did nothing. When they came for me there was no one left to help me”.

Clearly the lesson from that period is that hatred, in all of its forms, is the breeding ground for evil.

Secondly it appears to me that a heart and mind that are harbouring hatred of the kind voiced by Councillor Smith cannot be the foundation upon which unbiased decision making can be arrived at.

Subsequently I will be writing to Labour Councillors requesting that they convene a Parish Meeting and Parish Poll which will enable those who have been branded as evil by Councillor Smith to have their voice heard.

As one of the people who persuaded Councillor Smith to enter local politics I would, in such a ballot, cast my vote in favour of having Councillor Smith removed from the office of Town Councillor.

Brian Gibson, Ferryhill