26/01/05

He ignores the fact that it robbed the communities affected of their industrial history and archaeology.

True, the old pit heaps were spectacularly obtrusive and they were anathema to officialdom. To me, though, they had a certain bizarre grandeur all of their own.

With careful tree planting, by now they might have been attractive local amenities. Indeed, as evocations of Durham's epic industrial past, they might have become tourist attractions. That's why people from all over the world come to Beamish, isn't it?

Mr Harker condemns "industrial vandalism". Vandalism is sometimes defined as destruction that is both mindless and deliberate. In that sense the council perpetrated gross vandalism against our past and therefore our identity.

County Durham was synonymous with coal mining. But who would think so, to look at it now? - T Kelly, Crook.

DEMOCRACY

MOST countries have a government that suits them. In the West and America it is democratic.

Most countries in the Middle East have different tribes and so the tribe with the most numbers would literally dictate to the others what they want.

So, in that situation they do not want a democratic government where the small tribes are out-voted; they will be happier with a king or dictator who will also listen to the small tribes.

That was the situation centuries ago in Europe where almost every country had a king, kaiser, tsar etc.

In Northern Ireland that situation is apparent in that anything the Catholic group required and the Protestants do not want, then the small group will be out-voted. Perhaps a king of Northern Ireland would solve the situation.

In the Middle East most countries are governed by kings or dictators - eg Saudi Arabia - and the small tribes do not have a say in the government. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

ETHNIC MINORITIES

I RECENTLY read a letter (HAS, Jan 15) from Pete Winstanley, in which he comments on ethnic minority recruiting.

I was particularly interested at his comment that "he hopes such institutional racism will become a thing of the past".

During my police career, I was a representative on the Police Federation and always accepted that the organisation had no bias towards any ethnic minority, or any other minority. We represented and welcomed all our colleagues.

As a retired officer, I am now hearing that there is a black police officers' association within the British police force. A more divisive organisation I cannot imagine and it rather alarms me. That seems to be going against integration rather than building bridges to accommodate the hopes of Mr Winstanley. - DFG Hodgson, Whitby.

ANTI-SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR

HAS the Government fallen out of step with the rest of the country?

It has gone to great lengths to demonstrate orally and with publicity its commitment to the regeneration of deprived areas and the education of the general population to its various anti-social activities that overload our health, police and fire services.

It shouts loudly that it wants communities to have a voice and strive through many Government-created and inspired organisations to collect information that is generated from these sources.

It insists it is evaluated and used to guide and direct our already over-stretched public order and health services, to better enable their effective use.

It stresses that the problem of drugs and drink are at crisis point, and then, in its infinite wisdom, decides to extend drinking hours and provide us with super casinos, which, without doubt, will generate huge amounts of money for the Exchequer, but which will proportionally increase the social disorders which we already cannot cope with, ie 24-hour drinking incidents and poverty for the families of the irresponsible gambling fraternity.

Sadly, the England we love is being destroyed, and what other European countries supposedly enjoy is being forced upon us in the guise of progress.

Is the new Labour dream turning into the English people's worst nightmare? - Russell Stewart, Spennymoor.

ENVIRONMENT

RECENT extreme weather events should make us renew efforts to reverse global warming trends, putting pressure on governments to take action.

Dangerous levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, due to increasing use of fossil fuels, must be tackled.

It is important that we reduce oil consumption, changing to alternative natural sources of power: wind, water, solar etc and use smaller cars, using less fuel. Many ways could be found to reduce consumption of electricity.

To control the widespread arms proliferation, which fuels conflicts, causing deterioration in many developing countries, arms firms should make substantial cuts in weaponry exports, thus reducing pollution causing climate change.

It cannot make sense, after the tsunami disaster, to continue exports of weaponry to South-East Asian countries, when the greatest need of the people is for equipment and materials for relief and reconstruction.

Production of millions of pounds worth of more weapons for yet further destruction of lives, infrastructure, economics and environments must now be unthinkable. - FG Bishop, Darlington.

PUBLIC SPENDING

MAY I reassure your correspondent who accuses the Conservatives of planning cuts in public services (HAS, Jan 20). This is absolutely not the case.

We will match Government spending on health, education, overseas aid, the police, transport and defence. Front line services will actually get more resources as we cut out waste and unnecessary bureaucracy, and get better value for money.

The James Committee has identified billions of pounds of savings in Labour's fat and bloated government machine. For example, we will save £2.3bn a year by scrapping John Prescott's Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and replacing it with a slimmed down Department of Local Government. The man in the street will actually see an improvement to front-line services from savings such as these.

And look closer to home. In Bishop Auckland nearly £70m was spent on a new hospital with fewer beds, and providing fewer services than the old one it replaced. We've paid the taxes so where are the improvements in services?

The Conservative plans are all about spending money better, and spending it on better things. All Labour can do is tax more and spend more. - Richard Bell, Conservative candidate for Bishop Auckland.