READING the letters from councillors Byrne and Connolly, attacking my colleague councillor Khalid Hussain, I was reminded that, over the years, modesty has not been a word in their lexicon.

However, personal attacks have figured consistently in their political activities, and I have been a victim myself so appreciate how Khalid must be feeling.

I can assure him that their attitude to a young Labour councillor colleague, coping with similar professional commitments, would have been very different.

Councillor Byrne ('Remark was just a humorous quip', Letters, February 16) reveals that his attack on Coun Hussain was meant to be humorous yet he goes on to offer further insults. First he feels it necessary to say that when Khalid fought the parliamentary constituency of nearby Rochdale -- a notoriously difficult seat for Tories where we have come third for decades -- his vote fell to 'a new low'. Again this is untrue.

Although Khalid fought a vibrant campaign, his vote was squeezed and was lower than 2001 which was more than explained by the entry this time of UKIP, Veritas, and the BNP, who took 2,615 votes between them.

Moreoever, I guess some tactical votes went to the Liberals to ensure a Labour defeat -- something Coun Byrne overlooks. The key point is that, despite all this, Khalid's vote was up on the 1997 election figures so was NOT a new low.

I am not sure why he has to be quite so spiteful. Would he rather no local councillors fought local parliamentary elections in case it damages their percentage attendance figures at committees, committees which nowadays rarely have any decision-making powers?

Why criticise Coun Hussain for using a photograph on his surgery notices? He is not the first political figure to have his photograph on a press notice. I seem to recall Coun Byrne and Coun Connolly sent Eid greetings to residents, with their photographs on the cards. Was this to remind residents what they looked like?

Councillor Connolly ('View backed up by figures', Letters, February 16) seeks to cite more statistics and uses specific dates to support his case. Perhaps it might be fairer to wait until the end of the municipal year.

Last year, Coun Hussain's figure was 80 per cent which was higher than a number of other councillors. This year, so far, due to factors previously explained, his attendance has been lower but when checked in January (not last November) it was almost 70 per cent and, as now accepted, not the lowest. Moreover, in terms of actual meetings attended he had attended more meetings than several other colleagues.

One must ask why he alone is under such sustained personal attack? I suggest that it is simply because he is a Conservative councillor in what councillors Byrne and Connolly regard as a Labour seat. They feel it necessary to boast about their own 100 per cent attendances although no-one has criticised their records.

The public may just be getting slightly bored with their obsessive self-glorification.

COUNCILLOR ROY E WALKER Church Ward Bury MBC