Brief mention was given (The Argus, June 17) to a recent Mori poll which found that people believe the UK takes in 25 per cent of the world's asylum seekers.

The correct figure was 2 per cent. Perhaps this was an attempt to compensate for giving pride of place on the letters page of Saturday, June 15, to a couple of bigots away in racist fantasy land (Messrs Wilson and Coles) as well as the scribblings of John Parry on Friday, June 7.

Can these daft people not see that migrant workers forced into low-paid, low-skilled and often hazardous jobs are victims of the same absurd and disgusting economic system that treats indigenous workers likewise? In the global market, we are all just commodities for sale.

There certainly is political failure. It is the failure of socially, economically and politically illiterate governments to understand that market capitalism and democracy are mutually exclusive. All the real power lies in the hands of multinational corporations and business interests always triumph.

There is also the failure of those foolish politicians who try to appease extreme right-wingers by descending to their level and conceding the argument to them. The result is just more ignorance and racist hostility.

Those who try to divide us by nationality and colour must be faced down and defeated with the truth.

-P D Jackson, Byron Street, Hove