Letter: Just like Mrs Whitehouse

After reading the comments from Gill Furniss MP I felt compelled to have to write to your newspaper again about the cancellation of the Roy "Chubby" Brown concert.

Well, there we have it. As I said in my earlier letter, this decision was made purely on political grounds. Furniss gets involved as MP for one Sheffield constituency in which she says several of her constituents have expressed disapproval of Roy "Chubby" Brown.

Move over Mrs Whitehouse, the fanatics are making themselves heard. For those that are not old enough to remember Mrs Whitehouse, she was a campaigner against anything that she disagreed with on religious or moral grounds. Often appearing on television with her bigoted and self important opinions that fortunately in those days were countered by people who believed in the freedom to watch what they wanted on television.

The Furniss letter reminds me so much of those times. She makes general comments about the content of Mr Brown's comedy routine and yet again, like Sheffield Council, goes on about inclusivity and our City of Sanctuary that no one who I have ever spoken to has wanted for Sheffield.

Give me the number of your constituents who have decided, despite the fact that none of them would go, that Sheffield as a whole should be denied the chance to see Mr Brown? Is this number more than the 17,500 plus people who totally disagree with you and your constituents?

Your letter is nicely timed to support your Labour colleagues on the Council who have made this crass decision. Mr Brown has visited Sheffield several times in 30 years performing here and now you and the council have suddenly decided he is not welcome. What has changed in the intervening period other than we are now a self proclaimed City of Sanctuary for people who have never heard of Roy "Chubby" Brown.

I note from Gill Furniss's background that she has represented Labour as an Equal Opportunities champion in Parliament so is it a case that she feels she has to say something in support of the council?

We are not a nanny state Gill Furniss (not yet anyway), so why oh why do you have to stick your nose in and why can't you let Sheffield adults decide for themselves what they want to go and see at the City Hall? That sentiment is also directed at the sanctimonious bureaucrats at Sheffield Council too.