02/03/05

In the wake of the shocking images of abuse at Camp Breadbasket, Tony Blair proclaimed: "The difference between democracy and tyranny is not that in a democracy bad things don't happen, it is that in a democracy, when they do happen, people are held to account."

My only daughter died at the now infamous Deepcut barracks in November 1995. She was just 18 and had been at Deepcut for only eight days.

Seven years later, following two more "alleged suicides" we were informed by the media that there had in fact been four deaths at Deepcut.

A number of startling coincidences became apparent.

In each case the Army had immediately assumed suicide, Surrey Police had failed to adopt primacy for the investigation, and the military police had failed to secure the scene of death or conduct any forensic or ballistic examination.

It is now clear we may never know how our daughter died, for contrary to the suicide assumption, there is no evidence even to connect the SA80 rifle found beside her body with her death.

Faced with the continued and irrational refusal of this Government to allow a public inquiry into the four Deepcut deaths, I wrote to Mr Blair on January 19 to ask: "If you could advise which senior officers, either police or military, have ever been made accountable for the appalling set of errors which surround my daughter's death and indeed the other three deaths at the Deepcut camp?"

Despite a reminder we have yet to receive any reply.

What is the case, after all, for Mr Blair not holding a public inquiry into the Deepcut deaths?

Many years and many millions of pounds have been spent, belatedly but rightly in my opinion, in an attempt to uncover the truth of the Bloody Sunday massacre. Does my family or the family of Sean Benton, Geoff Gray or James Collinson not deserve equal consideration? Does the Army not wish to have a stain removed from its name?

Does a Labour Government that once promised to be "cleaner than clean" recognise no moral obligation for Deepcut; not least when it is simultaneously expecting other youngsters to be prepared to fight and die defending the very democracy Mr Blair proudly holds up as an example to the world? - Des James, Llanymynech, Powys.

NORTH-EAST ASSEMBLY

IT SEEMS odd that The Northern Echo reports on the North-East Assembly in great detail for two days running without asking one probing question (Feb 23 and 24).

Such as: Are the employment contracts for the employees of the assembly held by the local authorities?

Are these contracts of assembly employees underwritten by the local authority members of the assembly?

Are any redundancy payments due to any employee of the assembly, underwritten by the local authorities?

Are any of the pension fund obligations of the employees of the assembly underwritten by local authorities?

Where in the Local Government Acts 1972 or 2000 does it state that the contractual employment/pension arrangements of a voluntary outside body are the responsibility of the council taxpayers of the local authority membership of that voluntary outside body?

In effect, are councillors using our money to underwrite an assembly we voted against?

Stop the foolish building of more houses, along with investment in the South-East, and send some investment our way - we don't need an assembly to work that out. - Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland Conservatives.

NICK Morrison's article about regional assemblies is rather superficial (Echo, Feb 24).

Public opinion polling before the referendum indicated popular support for the idea of an elected assembly. It was when the actual proposals appeared that opinion started to change because people realised that what was on offer was inadequate.

Referendums are not a good way to decide policy. They polarise opinion and encourage negative campaigning. Thus the referendum last November rejected a specific proposal which even supporters of the "Yes" campaign - like me - thought wasn't good enough, but left the whole issue of dealing with the problems of the North-East.

Until we think of something better we shall have to make do with the unelected regional assembly. In the circumstances, I think it does a good job. - David Taylor-Gooby, Peterlee.

THE Liberal Democrats have accused Tony Blair and his Government of being very authoritarian. The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, a former trade union boss and a native of Newcastle, came to a similar conclusion. He said: "Tony Blair and the Government are open to the charge that they want to control everything."

The North-East experienced this with the regional assembly referendum. A range of political sharp practices were used both before and during the referendum, which was further compounded by the PM's refusal to take note of the massive vote against an assembly and disband the unelected assembly.

What must be done to overcome the Government's shortfalls in democracy? A move back to Parliamentary democracy from the current presidential style would be good. Let's have more free votes for our MPs to allow them to reflect their constituents' needs. Introduce a Civil Service Act to re-establish their integrity and impartiality; and an act to give Parliament the power to appoint heads of inquiries and audit cronyism in public appointments. Will it happen if New Labour gets a third term? - Les Graham Balmoral, Hexham.

CARE HOMES

MAY I express my thanks and pay tribute to two excellent care homes in Darlington.

My late aunt, Winifred Jebson, lived in sheltered accommodation in Abbeyfield Earl Keelan House. She was very happy there with its friendly residents and such caring and wonderful staff.

When my aunt needed to move we were fortunate to find the newly-built Grosvenor Park Residential Care Home. This is also a first class establishment, again with dedicated staff and attractive surroundings.

Finding the right accommodation for elderly relatives may be daunting, but it is reassuring to know that there are such fantastic places as these, where care and attention are the hallmarks of superb service to people. - Susanne Frusher, Knaresborough.

SNOWBALLING

THERE is a destructive trend in society which is responsible for causing countless problems for institutions whose role it is to teach the importance of respect for rules and the rights of others. The story concerning snowballing is a case in point (Echo, Feb 24).

The school decided for very good reasons that pupils should not snowball. For the parents to trivialise their children's breaking of the rule and to mock and belittle the stand the school was taking demonstrates why some young people respect nothing. Too many parents are partly responsible for the anti-social behaviour of young people that blights our streets today. - D Brearley, Middlesbrough.