Tim Ridgway wrote (The Argus, September 2) about an email he received from a reader of The Argus stating, “Brighton and Hove is the most tolerant city with nothing to be tolerant about.”

Tim’s opinions on this statement were thought-provoking. His comment piece talks about the lack of diversity in a city lauded for being diverse. However, I understood our city’s diversity was meant to signify our different lifestyles rather than other ethnic backgrounds.

Whatever the ethnicity of the population here, they enjoy living here because it’s so laid back. I don’t think the average under-40-year-old is necessarily aware, or bothered about, someone’s racial or social background.

It stated that all of our current 54 councillors are white. Well, there was an Asian Tory councillor in Ayas Fallon-Khan.

I think it would be seen as tokenism to appoint someone just because they are not white; candidates should be selected because they are able, popular and want to help the community rather because of ethnic origin.

We do happen to have a couple of Conservative councillor candidates for 2015 from other racial backgrounds but this is not something the Conservatives consciously sought.

As for our tolerance of the travelling community, we probably have shown too much to those who cause anti-social behaviour. It is a contentious topic. Because we’re afraid to cause offence, we put up with illegal behaviour. If we are too critical, we are labelled racists. If we do nothing, the behaviour gets worse.

Brighton and Hove is a lovely city to live in. I’m pleased so many people love to work and settle here. We are richer for it.

Linda Freedman, Brighton and Hove Conservative Federation

In view of Tim Ridgway’s article on “tolerance”, which made the sensible point that complete “relativism” in the sense that any belief, custom, habit or attitude is as good as any other might look like broad-mindedness, it is, in fact, also absurd.

It is worth remembering a man who lived in Brighton for 25 years and whose bi-centennial is coming up in a couple of years. George Holyoake was the intellectual ancestor of a man from Hove who died recently. He, George that is, founded a movement called secularism and was the last man sent to prison in Britain for atheism. He was also first president of the Brighton Co-op, some of which, at the time of writing, still hasn’t been flogged off.

Andy Steer, Windlesham Road, Brighton