Letter: Gerry Adams's voice

Sir: You are right to say that the broadcasting ban on various political and paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland was 'imposed in haste and enforced through farce' ('Time to get rid of a farcical ban', 13 January).

But you are wrong to suggest that the ban has not been tested in the British courts. Over the past five years the National Union of Journalists and six of its broadcasting members have fought the ban through the Divisional Court, the Court of Appeal and the House of Lords. It is because we have exhausted all domestic remedies, that we are now taking the case to the European Court of Human Rights.

What is 'unfortunate' is that, for all their pious talk, neither the BBC nor the commercial television companies have ever given the legal challenge one iota of

support.

Yours faithfully,

JACOB ECCLESTONE

Deputy General Secretary

National Union of Journalists

London, WC1