ANGRY Freemasons have retaliated against what they claim is "blatant discrimination" by national park bosses.

They say they are "incensed" by a ruling that national park authority members must declare if they are Freemasons.

The Freemasons say the move singles out their organisation, and they are calling for the decision to be overturned, or changed to include other bodies.

Earlier this year Lake District National Park Authority members agreed that membership of the Freemasons must be included in a declaration of interest register, which can be inspected by the public and Press.

They also agreed to ask members of staff to state if they are Freemasons, but in a voluntary register.

No authority members have made a declaration, although one member of staff staff has.

The original proposal was put forward by authority member Maureen Colquhoun, and was agreed by 13 votes to 11.

Provincial information officer Ken Bond, who represents 5,000 Freemasons in 77 lodges across Westmorland and Cumberland, has written to Ms Colquhoun, and authority chairman Peter Phizacklea, to voice his objections.

He said: "Local Freemasons are justifiably incensed at this outrageous action which was passed by a 13 to 11 vote.

"Not only is this blatantly discriminatory but it could well be illegal under the new Human Rights Act adopted in this country last October.

"Ms Maureen Colquhoun, who proposed the resolution, is yet another in the line of conspiracy theorists to form a view of Freemasonry which is misguided and inaccurate, framed by ignorance and prejudice."

Mr Bond said they did not have a problem with the register, but the way in which they had been "singled out."

No declaration was required for people who belonged to trade unions, religious groups, or political parties, he said.

He called for the ruling to be reversed, or to be made all-inclusive.

Mr Bond said the Freemasons were not a secret society, and members were encouraged to be open about their membership.

Ms Colquhoun said the move had been supported by a majority of members of the authority.

She said there was a perception, which was wrong, that Freemasons were granted planning permission by the authority more easily than other people.

"I think it's true to say that there's a deal of unjustifiable paranoia about Freemasonry, but Freemasons, with the obsessive secrecy, are partly to blame for this," she said.

Authority chairman Peter Phizacklea said that authority members were entitled to bring up such matters, and members would vote as they saw fit.