18/12/04

It was because the canny folk of the North-East value true democracy and accountability and saw through the hype, spin and deception of the Yes campaign.

Another significant outcome of the referendum was the bringing to many people's attention the fact that regional assemblies already exist in England. These bodies were established between 1994 and 1997 right across England. They have no democratic accountability and are financially supported by general taxation and a local levy on democratically-elected councils - usually without the consent or knowledge of council tax payers.

What introduced these useless, meaningless, costly and thoroughly unconstitutional layers of bureaucracy? Answer: the Treaty of Maastricht 1992 (Article 198a).

The people of the North-East have the ideal opportunity now to assist the (all party) nationwide campaign to remove regional assemblies as they currently exist.

After all, having decisively rejected an elected regional assembly, we sure as hell don't want an unelected one financed by our taxes at the expense of true local democratic accountability. - Dave Pascoe, Press Secretary, UK Independence Party, Hartlepool Branch.

MINERS' STRIKE

IN reply to J Wellthorpe's recent letter, during the 1984-85 miners' strike a compliant police force enforced the state's wishes as they had done in 1921 and 1926 when they helped to make miners have to work longer hours with lower wages imposed upon them.

This was just three years after they said the British people had finished fighting the Great War which promised to provide "a land fit for heroes".

In 1939, miners joined the Forces in their thousands. This caused an immediate skills shortage which resulted in the Essential Works Order of 1940, which prevented them and other key workers from joining the Forces.

As female labour was not an option, the government in 1942 allowed conscripts to volunteer to work on day-wage work in the mines. However, due to the low take-up of this offer, forced conscription was later introduced by Ernest Bevin.

Yes, on rare occasions miners did strike. This was well publicised. However, some troops justifiably did also. This was strenuously denied and covered up for years.

The working people were fighting for freedom and a better world. They were not going to be duped twice in one generation. - Barry Chambers, Blackhall.

HIMALAYA

I WATCHED the last episode of Michael Palin's Himalaya. The series was wonderful.

I thought the scene when that gentle old man met Mr Palin was very touching. At the high altitude, 14,000ft, everybody was on the move and yet all the man wanted to do was sing, which he did beautifully.

I think Mr Palin was as surprised as we were. The best part was when Mr Palin, not to be outdone, coaxed the singer into a duet.

I pondered to myself: wouldn't it be so much nicer to have a gentle attitude to strangers when we meet one another, like that old man 14,000ft up in the majesty of the Himalayas? - J Reilly, Seaham.

ROAD SAFETY

IN 1988 the government of the day proposed to spend £1.75m on a new bridge over the A66 Longnewton junction.

Now 16 years, two public inquiries and 15 deaths later, the new bridge was to start in 2005 at a cost of £6.2m.

We now hear that the new bridge has been delayed for at least another three years.

The reason, we have been told, for the delay is the cost, and this at a time when only last week Gordon Brown stood up in the Houses of Parliament and said the economy is booming. We have never had it so good (he must have been on about MPs wages, expenses and pensions). He also, at the same time, allocated £500m to be spent next year on the war in Iraq (just think how he could have spent that money on this country).

The Longnewton junction is now little more than a death trap, especially in the rush hours and on foggy days and, as sure as night follows day, there will be more deaths. For every death on that junction, I would say every Northern MP will have blood on their hands and for everyone who voted Labour, you have only got what you deserve. - Name and address supplied.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

HERE in Sedgefield Borough we are now offered the opportunity to register to vote by post.

This presumably is an effort to revitalise the pathetically poor turnout for elections.

May I suggest the main reason for the poor turnout is a lack of public confidence in many of the candidates being offered.

In some cases it may be tantamount to being asked: which do you prefer, earache or toothache?

Why aren't we allowed to register outright rejection?

A simple yes or no on our ballot papers would suffice, thus giving a true record of public opinion.

Democracy is defined as a form of government for the people by the will of the "majority" of the people.

The present system fails to fully uphold that principle. - AW Dunn, Spennymoor.

INDUSTRY

SEDGEFIELD Borough discussed the 2004-7 Corporate Plan at its full council meeting on November 26.

During the debate, I voiced my concerns about the 10,000 manufacturing jobs lost in the borough since the 1980s. Particularly the loss of thousands of Spennymoor jobs, due to the Electrolux Refrigeration, Rothmans plant closures and the recent job losses at Black & Decker. The huge number of job losses have hit the local economy, with many shops and pubs struggling.

Sedgefield Borough's population has decreased by 5,729 during the same period. This represents seven per cent of the borough's population. Many workers are having to find work in the more affluent south.

I call on all our local MPs to fight for the Barnett Formula to be updated. This could put a billion pound plus into our local economy and extra resources for education, NHS, social services and industrial investment.

I would also ask all of our Euro MPs and the new European Trade Minister, Peter Mandelson, to fight for more European investment for the North-East and measures to stop "offshoring". - Councillor Ben Ord, Spennymoor Ward, Sedgefield Borough Council.