IMMIGRATION is not racism, neither is racisms immigration. Contrary to what "new Labour" wanted us to believe in 13 years of idealistic rule the word immigration should not in any usage whatsoever be treated as a taboo.

However, judging by the letters page in the Review concerning UKIP, im­migration is getting confused and entwined with racism.

Assumption, a sad trait in our society not just on this subject but others, is conveniently used by some to conceal or detract from the truth.

With regard to UKIP I?have taken time to look into their actual stance on immigration, and by reading their 2011 manifesto which was prepared for the 2011 local elections back in May, UKIP make their position clear.

To quote: "We will –

• End Labour's immigration free-for-all, which let in three million in 13 years;

• Withhold all state benefits from immigrants for five years;

•Introduce proper border controls;

•Freeze permanent immigration for five years until we sort out the system;

•Report all illegal immigrants;

•Target working visas only on those with the skills we need."

With a little tinkering and smoothing around the edges, there are few, very few people that I know, in this cosmopolitan area, that would disagree with UKIP's principles.

Indeed I doubt that many bona-fide British Citizens (ignoring of course extremists, do-gooders and other nutters) would disagree with the fundamentals of UKIP's principles.

I see no racism. I see nothing in the UKIP principles on immigration that links them with the extreme elements of either the English Defence League or the British National Party. So who is the scaremonger? As one Review letter writer puts it – look at themselves perhaps?

Incidentally, with reference to illegal immigration, documents only recently released by the Ministry of Justice show that close on 40,000 (and that is of course only those that are known about) appealed in 2010 to stay in the United Kingdom after the Home Office ruled that they were not entitled to live here.

Compounded by the inadequacy and stupidity of the Human Rights Act the majority of illegals remain making the UK immigration system, if it can be called a system, a shambolic fiasco.

If ever urgent, overdue central Government intervention is required look no further than the HR Act – nothing to do with racism.

I was impressed with other items in the UKIP document. For instance, knowing only too well the shenanigans that exist at Forest of Dean District Council, Coleford, I can certainly relate to the UKIP principles on improving and embracing accountability, democracy and planning, reinventing common-sense and consigning political correctness to where the sun doesn't shine.

Imagine this scenario, our Forest towns (including Lydney) may actually be regenerated, councillors would not be suspended for speaking the truth, those public servants with a sensitive disposition would not need to go running to deskbound senior public servants, funded by a bottomless pit of taxpayers' money – nothing to do with racism.

Mind you, it does beg the question – just who is pulling the strings at Coleford? Why would a Conservative administrative cabinet ignore the sound advice and guidance given nationally by Eric Pickles MP and locally by ex-colleague Venk Shenoi on emotive subjects such as waste and car parking?

I would hope that the democratically elected councillor was the ventriloquist and that the public servant was the dummy. However from the distasteful tunes that are sounding from Coleford in recent times it does appear that the monkey is in charge of the organ! Quite where the organ grinder is, is anyone's guess!

I note in my Sunday paper today that Conservative peer Lord Hesketh has joined UKIP following David Cameron's failure to allow a referendum on Europe.

It's not about "Little Englander," "Johnny Foreigners" or even breaking completely from Europe, but it is about giving this generation of British people the democratic right to decide if they want to be represented by mostly obscure politicians, the democratic right to decide if they want control back from the faceless European Union bureaucrats who control vital issues such as public health, justice, employment, environment, farming etc, and the right to put an end to Britain's perverse funding of the European Union gravy train.

Even in his wildest pro-European dreams of 40 odd years ago, surely even old Ted Heath wouldn't believe this mess.

At least a referendum would give an opportunity for the "Great" to be put back in Britain.

Nothing to do with racism – owd butt!

– Alan Preest, Greenacre, Bream.