MIDDLEHAVEN: THE Middlehaven project in Middlesbrough will not work because it is something dreamed up in the minds of developers. It takes no account of the history, traditions and culture of this Victorian town.

This development does not grow organically from the town but is grafted on to it. The developers and the council may impose it, but this does not mean that the people of Middlesbrough will accept it.

The grotesque buildings will attract investment, we are told. So what is investment?

It is people with money seeking some place to increase the value of their money. As they look around to find a secure place to invest they will say: "Oh! Look! A hotel shaped like a champagne glass. And a theatre shaped like a toaster." And they will rush to invest in Middlesbrough.

Exactly what in Middlesbrough they will invest in we are not told because the developers are as much in the dark as those who live here.

And if grotesque buildings attract investment, why shouldn't those same developers build even more grotesque buildings elsewhere to attract the investment away from Middlesbrough?

We are getting a toaster and a champagne glass. How about a frying pan and champagne bottle somewhere else? Or a lavatory pan complete with water feature? That should get the investors going.

But by that time the architects will be away and we, the people of Middlesbrough, will be left to contemplate another wasted opportunity.

I'm only a Boro boy, so ignore me. Take notice of the experts, and live to regret it. - Bert Ward, Nunthorpe.

BUTLER REPORT

THE smirking, smiling, finger-pointing actions of Tony Blair during the Butler Report debate were appalling. Does the death of 60 young men in a doubtful war not require both respect and reason, not the disgusting ya-boo politics we witnessed in the Chamber. Shame on them all. - R Harbron, Norton.

WATCHING Lord Butler deliver his report, I got the impression that the inquiry had been conducted in a fair and civilised manner.

It was good that the report dismissed the theory that the invasion was all about securing Iraq's oil supplies for the Americans.

I believe the most important consideration is that we won the war with relatively few casualties, and our armed forces were magnificent.

In his statement to the Commons, Tony Blair was right to point out that no-one had lied, no-one had misled and the Government had acted in good faith.

Now both Government and country must turn to other matters. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

PETER MULLEN

ARE your columnist Peter Mullen (Echo, July 20) and Nick Griffin of the British National Party (BNP) blood brothers?

Their views appear almost identical. A brave television journalist exposes one, but the other is given exposure in The Northern Echo.

I do not find it strange that the views expressed, in secret, by a party of thugs are condemned by Press, politicians and churches alike. What I cannot understand is why The Northern Echo should provide a fig leaf of respectability for the same views in a column, which, truly amazing, it might even pay for!

Surely Mr Mullen would have been happier living in Apartheid South Africa or the Deep South of the US. Pre-civil rights of course. Both deeply Christian but fundamentalist like himself. - Stuart Hill, Darlington.

PETER Mullen is right to highlight the corruption of Arab autocracies which justify their oppressions in the name of Islam. Ironically, Osama bin Laden would probably agree with him!

However, he is wrong to interpret Islamist militancy as part of the same ideology. It is, on the contrary, a reaction to it. "Fundamentalism" began as an attempt to reform oppressive regimes by returning to the basic principles of Islam.

I am no Qur'anic scholar, but it seems to me that these principles, far from being "incompatible with our society" as Mullen suggests, are consistent with Western concepts of democracy, pluralism and social justice.

However, attempts at reform were met with such violent repression that some reformers turned to terrorism, against both the regimes and their Western sponsors. Eventually, reform movements were taken over by fanatics with an even more repressive interpretation of Islam than the regimes they sought to dislodge.

Clearly, the Muslim world needs to get its own house in order, but the common aim of all religions must be peaceful co-existence. This will not be achieved by scaremongering, but by encouraging moderation and dialogue, and by supporting those brave Muslim men and women who struggle for justice and human rights in Muslim countries. - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

DEFENCE CUTS

THE Government is to reduce the Armed Forces and spend the savings on improved public services. This will be achieved by increasing the number of police to combat the war against crime in our own county. For lawlessness and crime is now ruining our country. - Jim Hughes, Haswell Parish Councillor.

WHAT a good idea. Let's cut the armed forces to free up some quick cash. We can pretend it's all to do with modernisation and creating a fighting force for the future.

The strategy for this week will give us lots more money to spend on nanny state idealism, do-gooding and minority groups.

What was that? Not in Britain's interest? Rubbish! Labour will never go to war ever again. - Charles Johnson, Darlington.

EDUCATION

THE bid by the Church of England to take over Eastbourne secondary school in Darlington has collapsed (Echo, July 16).

The Church already has a huge number of schools, which is growing.

The Church is also busy converting Voluntary Controlled CE Schools, which are controlled by the Government, into Voluntary Aided CE Schools, which are controlled by the Church.

It is getting to the stage now where, in some places, there is no non-denominational school available to parents. They are forced to send their children to a denominational school whose ethos they may find unacceptable.

Aided church schools are selective, giving them a major advantage over non-denominational schools, which have to take all-comers.

The Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church are both vested interests, with their own agendas to promote via education. - Name and address supplied, North Yorkshire.

SEATS

IN reply to Fred Lawton (HAS, July 17), together with other local people, I approached Labour councillor Bill Holmes to try and get seats installed in Darlington's North Cemetery.

We have been asking for this for many years. Coun Holmes kept us informed of his campaign, and we were delighted when last week the seats were put in place.

Other people should not try and take credit for Coun Holmes' work. - Christine Percival, Darlington.