SIR: I was more than disappointed to see the letter in last week’s Chronicle exclaiming that “all lives matter”. Of course all lives matter, but when it’s used to counter the stirring and recognised rallying cry of the Black Lives Matter campaign the claim does nothing but seek to undermine one of the most important issues of the day and, in turn, diminish its own supposed regard for other lives. You don’t tackle racism by creating distractions or by plagiarising others’ legitimate and heartfelt declarations.

I was also disappointed, to say the least, to learn of the blatant conduct by a (Conservative) member of Winchester City Council. Most Conservatives will be appalled, not least by the tardiness with which their leadership acted to tackle what it must have long known was unacceptable behaviour. As a councillor and Jew, I would like to assure our Muslim community that this person’s behaviour does not represent the council and that the overwhelming majority regard it as abhorrent and backward thinking. Ours is a sophisticated and tolerant city in which it’s OK to be different and OK to ask questions but no-one, whether in authority or not, has a licence to promote prejudice or to incite hatred and violence.

Cllr Kim A Gottlieb,

City councillor, St Michael ward,

East Stratton

SIR: To say “all lives matter” and “there is only one race, the human race” (Chronicle, Letters, June 18 and online) may seem benign. But the first statement implies all lives are equally at risk, thus denying the fundamental fact that black lives are at greater risk from oppression and disadvantage. The second statement in effect denies the existence of race-based inequality.

There are implicit, persistent and systemic disadvantages to being black in the UK, and those of us who benefit from the advantages of simply being white - of which I am an egregious example - need to recognise and change this, rather than unwittingly dismiss it.

Guy Ashton,

Colebrook Street,

Winchester