MR PENDLE: We don’t want gun-toting students in our classrooms

It was headed “Gun carrying students would make US colleges safer” and reported how a student group across the pond had called for its members to be allowed their own hidden guns in classrooms.

Its leader was quoted as saying it was unfair that most colleges do not allow permit-carrying gun owners to take their weapons on to a campus.

In America, of course, there have been many incidents where people have gone on to college campuses, shot and killed students and teachers and then turned their guns on themselves.

But is the Concealed Carry on Campus group seriously suggesting its members should be allowed to arm themselves in case of an attack on their classes?

And what happens if it does?

Who is going to be the Death Wish-style vigilante who shoots the attacker?

What happens if there are half a dozen CCC members in the class and they all pull out their guns at once and let fly?

The whole thing sounds like a plot for a gore-fest Hollywood blockbuster rather than something happening in real life - and hopefully it will stay that way.

Mr Pendle shudders to think what might happen if CCC’s call ever became reality and an angry student sought the ultimate retribution for being disciplined by shooting someone.

He also wonders what would happen if something similar were ever to happen in this country - and how those who had passed the legislation would explain themselves to the victims.

ANOTHER BBC web page made a great deal of the fact Conservative MP Mike Weatherley was a fan of heavy metal music, and in particular the group Iron Maiden.

But is it really all that big a deal?

Do we expect all our elected members to be fans of either classical music, as David Mellor was, or middle-of-the-road, bland pop, with the likes of Ed Miliband, who prefers Norwegian band A-ha?

But Mr Weatherley is singled out as being “different” because of his personal tastes - although Mr Pendle would bet he is not the first, nor will he be the last, to have a liking for heavy metal.

And are his musical tastes so newsworthy?

Surely the only thing that matters is whether he is good at his job.

That, at the end of the day, is what his constituents are interested in.

His musical tastes, just like the football team he supports, are of no consequence whatsoever.