I WONDER if Martin Roberts of the BNP is informed about conventional slaughterhouse practices (You Say, July 1).

From the tone of his letter it would appear not. The argument that halal and kosher slaughter methods are cruel, but conventional methods are not, is of course ridiculous.

Halal and Kosher both require that animals are killed by hand, thus ensuring that they do not suffer during death as a result of machine error. In addition the welfare of the animals while alive is paramount in order for them to be considered fit for slaughter.

Conventional factory methods treat animals with little humanity and often cause great suffering.

Boiled alive

Chickens on conveyor belts often miss being stunned and are consequently boiled alive while fully conscious.

Practices involved in the rearing of veal calves necessitate even greater cruelty. We have been reaping the whirlwind of feeding meat to herbivorous cattle in the shape of BSE for some time now.

As a vegetarian I happen to think that all slaughter is wrong, but for Mr Roberts to turn this into a racial issue does rather show the depth of his ignorance and prejudice.

BEN EATON,

Stourport-on-Severn.