AS someone who, for the past six years, has campaigned on behalf of Alfred Moore and his family to have his conviction for the murder of two police officers in 1951 overturned, the result of the Examiner Hot Topic vote spoke volumes.

That 76.9% of those who voted believed that he was wrongly convicted should cause concern within our society and should send ripples of discord through the corridors of the Home Office and The Justice Ministry.

The fight for justice will continue until those in authority concede that a grave injustice has been done and that an innocent man was sent to his death.

After his arrest, when interviewed by senior police officers, Alfred Moore denied any wrongdoing.

He simply said: “I went to bed with Mrs Moore and Pat (his daughter) about twelve o’clock” (midnight).

After being picked out as the gunman by the dying Constable Jagger, he said: “Yes, but it wasn’t me.”

When charged with murder he said: “How could it be me? I’ve told you, I was in bed.”

After he lost his appeal, Alfred Moore petitioned the then Home Secretary to commute the sentence of death to one of life imprisonment. The final sentence of that petition reads: “I am convinced that one day my innocence will be established.”

During his period on remand prior to the trial he was watched 24 hours a day and conversations between himself and prison officers were recorded. Never once during that remand period did he admit guilt.

On the contrary, he talked about clearing his name at the trial and that he would be glad to put his side of the story. He goes on to discuss his ambitions for the farm and in one interview tells the officer of his plans after leaving the prison.

Finally, on the morning of his execution, he took the time to write a final letter.

The letter is addressed to ‘The proper Authorities’ placed in an envelope and sealed with wax. He did this knowing that the content of that letter would only be read after his demise.

In the letter Alfred Moore once again protests his innocence, but also points an accusing finger at certain senior police officers, accusing them of perjury and conspiring against him.

In the aftermath, Det Chief Supt George Metcalfe was awarded the MBE for bringing Alfred Moore to justice.

Pc Sydney Cleaver was awarded the Queens Commendation for brave conduct for his part in arresting Moore. At the time Pc Cleaver was armed with a revolver while Alfred Moore was totally unarmed.There is much more to this case than has been written here.

For those who are interested in the truth, please visit www.isthisjustice.co.uk

Steve Lawson

Kirkheaton

More power up front

UP the Town today! The team really needs to win, but I hope Mark Robins doesn’t leave a lone striker up front as he had done in the previous two games as this does not work.

We really need two strikers up front and we need loads of goals.

Is it too late to bring back Jordan Rhodes?

Rav

Huddersfield Town fan

Disgraceful scenes

AFTER the death of Margaret Thatcher I must say whatever one’s political leanings – and mine are left of centre – the recent public displays of rejoicing in a person’s demise are totally disgraceful.

I understand some of her policies decimated communities and many will not recover.

The scenes I saw were reminiscent of Gaddafi’s downfall.

I believe immigrants to the UK now have to take a Britishness test? Are the latest displays a true representation of Britishness?

Joseph Kelly

Huddersfield

Defending Thatcher

BARRY Gibson should check his facts more carefully before writing such rubbish in his article called ‘Maggie’s legacy still with us today.’

Had he been around in the 1960s and especially the 1970s he would know the great difficulties affecting this country with regard to productivity and expansion of business, caused progressively by increasing union activity in closed shops and wildcat strikes.

Who can forget the power shortages of the 1970s. Thatcher’s legislation on democratic voting within unions largely stopped all this and no party in power of any hue has since wanted to repeal it.

It is true that old and inefficient manufacturing often had to close, resulting in great human problems in many old industrial areas.

This would have been less difficult if previous governments, both Labour and Conservative, had grasped the nettle as decisively as Margaret Thatcher did.

Incidentally, manufacturing was producing about 7% to 8% more in total at the end of 1989 than it was at the end of 1979, despite the closure of uneconomic industries.

Turning now to Mr Gibson’s comments on the miners strike, he should know that more pits were closed during Labour’s turn of office than during Thatcher’s.

The miners were badly led by Arthur Scargill who only wanted to destroy the elected government. Those of us trying to run our factories and keep our workforce fully employed during this difficult time were very thankful for the Nottingham miners, as was the country in general.

As regard to the roulette wheel in the city of London, we all know who kept that turning – one Gordon Brown esquire – so please do not blame Thatcher for that.

My generation and yours Mr Gibson have much to be grateful for to Margaret Thatcher as evidenced by the loony left currently dancing in the streets who may well have been running the country by now without her decisive leadership.

David Hall

Birkby

Why no war service?

AS can be seen in the letters pages, Mrs Thatcher’s death has polarised opinions.

Instead of yet another opinion, I’d like to offer some simple ‘facts.’ They can’t be argued with. Then, I’d like to ask for opinions on them, especially from those who praise her.

She was born in 1925. In 1939, the Second World War broke out.

In 1943, aged 18, she went to university. Now lots of women joined up, did their bit, put their lives on hold, all to serve their country. She didn’t.

When the ones who had made a sacrifice came back to pick up their normal lives, she’d got an advantage over them.

So, might I ask Bill Armer, Robert Light, Ken Oakes and all her admirers what their opinion is of her lack of war service?

Mr R A Vant

Holmfirth