First the Trade Unions ceased to allow anyone to join or remain a member if they were also members of the BNP. (And I was not a member so I was not concerned) And then they asked all employers to ensure that none of their employees were members of the BNP (But I was retired so I was not concerned). Then some banks refused to handle the funds of the BNP (but I was not a member of the BNP so I was not concerned).

Then the Co-op group withdrew its backing for Samaritan's Child Christmas shoe box campaign - and I was a member and I wrote and told them I thought they were destroying Christmas for many underprivileged children - they said that it was at the behest of their members - the main member is the Trade Unions. Then the Co-op Bank asked a fringe Christian group to take their accounts elsewhere because they did not agree with that group's homophobia (they thought homosexuality was unacceptable).

I wrote again, this time to the Chief Executive, cancelled my membership - took my business elsewhere (I used to be insured with CIS) and although I had a `holding letter' from the chief executive's PA I have not had any further letter from them,

This is all of a piece and like the Soviets treated the religious under Stalin - it was not illegal to go to church or to believe in God but it was difficult and resulted in the loss of your party membership - which in many cases meant you could no longer access those shops which had regular food supplies - and you lost your job.

Now it is all being achieved by stealth under this authoritarian police state we have saddled ourselves with.

And after the articles in today's Telegraph I have heard of three people shunting off their cheques for membership of the BNP. . . I am on the point of saying `where do I sign?'

Rex Caddick