25/04/05

As the UK's leading non-party political lobbying group for Small Business (in excess of 185,000 members), we have been arguing the issue of business rates and would agree that these rates are a large burden on any small business

We have produced a comprehensive report and forwarded proposals to the Government that, if accepted, would result in a fairer system of assessing rates, a reduction of the burden falling on small business and a reduction in the proportion of Government tax revenue obtained from non-domestic rates.

All proposals would lead to a more competitive business community. The report shows that again the FSB is championing small business and is lobbying Government on your behalf. The report is on our website at www.fsb.org.uk - Colin Stratton, North East Regional Chairman, Federation of Small Businesses.

BETRAYED

I BELIEVE the voters of Sedgefield can prove that Reginald Keys could bring better hope for the future than a Prime Minister who promises but does not deliver.

I have no connections with Sedgefield, but I do with the North-East. I was attached to The Durham Light Infantry in the Korean War and had the sad duty of bringing out the first DLI soldier killed in the conflict.

I am not a Conservative voter, never have been. I campaigned and voted for new Labour in 1997 - but there are none so bitter as the betrayed.

Tony Blair put our soldiers in illegal and unnecessary mortal danger in response to his American master's command.

New Labour's manifesto, waved triumphantly by Mr Blair, is a smokescreen. It is intended to draw attention away from the stealthy, profit-led privatisation of hospitals, schools, prisons, social services and many other public institutions.

Mr Keys is a member of the community, not led by covert right-wing policies, but by a desire to right the wrongs of the incumbent who just happens to be a PM who ignores national and local concerns and listens to no-one. - Major Michael J Sheedy (retired), Cornwall.

LET me first sympathise with Mr Keys - the loss of a loved one is difficult to bear. It is one of the possibilities that everyone faces when they join the Armed Forces.

However, to blame Tony Blair for the loss of his son is preposterous. Should Roosevelt and Winston Churchill be blamed for the enormous loss of life suffered whilst removing such evil dictators as Hitler, Mussolini, and Hirohito?

With hindsight, the intelligence information on Iraq that our Government received may have been wrong, but Mr Blair had the courage and strength, with America, to eliminate an oppressive and cruel dictator who threatened the peace and stability of the Middle East, if not the world. - Councillor Frank Robson, Darlington.

SWAN SONG

I WAS saddened to read (Echo, Apr 13) that Northern Recording at Consett will have to close because it cannot attract funding from the likes of the Lottery and Arts Council.

It has done a wonderful job over the years, helping people who would be unable to afford the cost of going to a recording studio.

It even won national acclaim with its Making Music Work programme for young people.

I think the powers that be should pull out all the stops to try to get funds available to support Northern Recording which, after all, is a co-operative. - Ray Stoker, Brandon.

BRIGHT FUTURE

THERE may be considerable doubt concerning the future of the manufacturing industry, especially among those in automotive production.

Since the industrial revolution, manufacturers have constantly changed and developed new products to support evolving modernisation.

While news may be gloomy, there are some small signs that a reduced manufacturing capacity may hold some hope for the future.

In the first industrial revolution, people moved from rural areas to work with the then new technology, but the modern method of production does not require a large workforce, so it is inevitable that part of the nation's manpower will have to endure periods of stagnation.

Manufacturing does have a future but it will have to be organised in a new and different manner to suit the modern age.

It is time to re-visit the blacksmith's shop. - Thomas Conlon, Spennymoor.

THANK YOU

I WOULD like to thank everyone who attended and donated money at my father's funeral on April 18 at St Michael and All Angels Church, Esh Village, and later at Durham Crematorium.

The money collected totalled £250 and has been forwarded to Age Concern, Durham City, as thanks for all the support and help they gave to my father, Joseph Golightly, and are still giving to my mother, Joan Golightly, of Esh Winning.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone for their sympathy and good wishes for my mother, myself and family. - Barbara Macklin, Stocksfield, Northumberland.

ACTS OF KINDNESS

IT IS time for a response to letters to HAS from Susan Willis (Apr 7), Roger McAdam (Apr 8), R Brown (Apr 14) and others who seem to be waging war against Christianity.

They all choose to judge the faults and failings of human beings past and present, while overlooking the wonderful acts of goodness, kindness and sacrificial giving performed by Christians during the last 2,000 years.

In recent times Mother Theresa has been just one shining example of love and compassion towards suffering mankind.

It is true that throughout history many have been mislead into believing that it was right to perform acts of atrocity in the name of religion, but they were wrong.

I am not a Roman Catholic, but I do believe that Pope John Paul II was a good man. He had faults and failings like the rest of us, but he did speak out against war, particularly the war in Iraq. He did play a major role in the breakdown of Communism in Eastern Europe and he did work towards unity within the churches.

For these things at least he should be thanked, rather than judged. - HL Brown, Leyburn.

PET SHOP BOYS

WE looked in at the pet shop while doing our weekly shop at Clifton Moor and were admiring the gerbils in two pens.

All were putting on a show of innocent play among the straw except for the biggest of them all, a ginger heavyweight intent on imposing himself repeatedly on all his pen pals - one after the other in quick succession.

I could not help having a feeling of restrained admiration for him but my wife said it wasn't funny and nobody would want to buy pregnant gerbils.

She steered me towards the checkout, maybe expecting me to take up her case. But I kept behind and she squealed on my little champion.

Then the assistant dropped a bombshell.

All the occupants of that pen were male! - George Appleby, York.