CLAIMS of bigotry often reveal more about the prejudices of the accuser than the accused.

Tony Brett damages his standing as a councillor by stating protests against a planning application for student housing (that as chairman of the planning review committee he will oversee) are like sexism, racism and homophobia of the past.

To link that to residents saying their community is full of students or that they cause problems is bordering on the hysterical.

Are black people inferior to white people? No.

Should gay people be abused in the street because of their sexuality? No.

Should women be denied equality in the jobs market because of their gender? No.

Do some of our neighbourhoods have too many students and does this cause other residents problems? Possibly. And putting forward your view as a resident is reasoned debate rather than abhorrent bigotry.

Read the comments Mr Brett complains of and make up your own mind about whether this is a strongly expressed view or unreasonable intolerance bordering on hatred.

Mr Brett’s comments also could be viewed as trivialising the fight for equality that women, ethnic minorities, lesbians and gays have fought for and still fight today. Are they in any way similar to a local planning debate?

One of the insidious elements of bigotry is the bullying.

It stops many people feeling confident enough to express their freedom of speech or display their equality — and there may be some residents who feel so cowed by Mr Brett’s claims that in future they won’t comment on issues affecting their neighbourhoods because it leads to them being labelled bigots.

We expect our councillors to debate issues and represent our community sensibly rather than cast slurs of this kind.