IN reply to Florence Hill’s letter: “All should help to save NHS” Friday, March 8, re the issue of UKIP and the hospital closure protest. I present exactly what I wrote in the email sent to the Secretary of the A&E closure protest group.

“Hi there, Just to let you know that several Bolton and District residents who belong to UKIP Bolton Branch group will be adding our voices to yours on Tuesday at the town hall meeting. Possible closure affects us all personally. We are very concerned. Please let us know if we can help in any way. With all good wishes, Frances Raftery, Acting Secretary, UKIP Bolton”.

Most sensible people would see that we wanted to show our support, condemn possible closure and offer help. You say that the protest “is open to anyone regardless of political group”.

If that is the case, why would you not welcome us? We received a patronising reply telling us that “the NHS was proudly built and is run by a very multicultural staff”. For emphasis it added “we treat very multicultural patients. Heavens — who would have thought they did this in a hospital? As we all live in a multicultural society the term is redundant, but used here as a poke at UKIP. If this isn’t an accusation that UKIP is racist, I’ll eat my hat.

The email goes on to explain who they need to save the NHS — “patients, health workers, other workers, trade unionists, pensioners, disabled people and unemployed”. Well, thanks for the lesson but that describes many UKIP members.

Florence adds that we were told we were welcome to attend. “Concerns raised about your possible attendance” doesn’t sound like a welcome to us.

“Everyone is welcome”? Even The Bolton News reporter who went was asked to leave. Says it all.

The protest group’s website includes a supportive letter from Julie Hilling MP (Labour). Our letter was also supportive. Apparently it’s OK to support the protest but only if you’re in the right party.

It is your group who has politicised this issue. A union representative read Ms Reissman’s email and decided (like the Daily Mail, Telegraph and The Bolton News) just how inflammatory it was. He offered us a written apology and contacted the union’s regional manager to complain about her.

Sorry if you are disappointed that I felt the need to contact the press. Your anti-democratic, discriminatory nonsense needed to be spotlighted.

Frances Raftery Secretary Bolton UKIP