Readers' Best Comments

This is disgraceful, a an attack on freedom of speech. We should all fight for this man's right to say what he thinks. None of the posts were personally offensive to anyone, this is just gagging.

roadstohell

What a nasty and cowardly thing to do.

JulesF

I don't think councils have to rely on people who speak out to bring them "into disrepute". They can manage that ALL by themselves.

JG

While I consider this to be a very petty approach by the council, just remember that any employee of any company who expresses anti-corporate views is likely to be sacked. If I wrote to the press, expressed views and opinions against my company in public, or even at a company meeting, I would expect to be sacked.

Mad Jock

I may not agree with Paul but as Voltaire is alleged to have said "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it" just about sums this up. Persecuting someone for voicing their opinions is but a short step from dictatorship.

Nitpicking

The council are obviously very sensitive to the fact that most council taxpayers don't get value for money. The fact we can go to prison if we don't pay reinforces the perception they can do what they like. Mr French has broken his terms of employment, as this would happen in private industry, but as the council are PUBLIC employees, we should have the right to know everything they do, not rely on whistleblowers.

Proghead

Appalling. He should have been binned months ago. Of course had he joined UNITE he would now have the full support of Gordon Brown and the Labour Party.

Doh

The 2 million spent on a city roads "patch-up" after the big freeze has been blasted as another "car-hating council" move . . .

The state of roads is as a result of decades of council neglect and shoddy efforts to "make good" following various utilities gaining access to their pipe work, cables, etc.. You need a 4X4 to avoid dental work.

Klaus Dubois

I never saw the point of urban 4X4s until I moved to Edinburgh. Now I'm sick of me and whatever goods are in my car being shaken to bits and am thinking of buying one. This is yet another example of the council's car-hating dogma having the opposite effect.

The Lone Haranguer

Our roads are in such a mess because a lack of maintaining them over the years. You just can't throw a shovel full of black stuff in a pot hole and expect it to last.

The Real Alfonsa Pedrosa

Leave the streets like a bomb site and you force all those who can't afford to run 4x4s out of their cars and on to public transport. Then charge those who can afford them a premium for on-street parking. It's a win-win situation for the council, with the bonus of ensuring the poor know their place (and can't afford to get out of it!).

Cassandra