RACISM: WE must not fall for the insidious propaganda of the extreme right. While it is obviously true that there are a few small areas where whites are outnumbered by blacks or Asians, the 2001 census reveals that just six per cent of the UK population is black or Asian.

Since whites constitute 94 per cent of the population, it seems unlikely that they will "eventually become a minority".

In any case, it is wrong to define Englishness in terms of skin colour. The majority of black and Asian people living in Britain are British, born and bred.

Despite the efforts of a few racists and fascists, the people of Britain will not be "robbed of their rightful heritage".

Whether they are white, black or brown, they will inherit the right to live in peace in their own country, free from persecution or discrimination on the basis of their ethnic, cultural or religious background.

These are fundamental rights for which many brave men and women, including black and Asian people from all over the British Commonwealth, gave their lives during the Second World War. We owe it to them to uphold the principles for which they fought. - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

EUROPE

HOW dare Robert Kilroy-Silk compare Tony Blair to Neville Chamberlain?

Lest Mr Kilroy-Silk has forgotten, Chamberlain's appeasement policy was based on the myth that Britain could avoid war by allowing the Nazis to flout international treaties rather than facing them head on.

The British government of the day believed we could stand aloof from European problems. The people of Czechoslovakia were therefore left to their fate.

As we found to our cost, the pretence that Britain could ignore events on the continent was cruelly exposed in 1939. After World War Two, the western powers learned that close co-operation was our best defence against nationalistic conflict.

The real heirs of Chamberlain now are UKIP, and those elements in the Conservative Party who want us to withdraw from the EU.

In this period of profound change, as newly-democratic countries have emerged in eastern and southern Europe, now is precisely the wrong time to turn our back on Europe, and relinquish our influence.

The European Union remains the best guarantor of peace and security across the continent. Mr Kilroy-Silk and his band of Little Englanders must not be allowed to wreck it. - Nick Wallis, Darlington.

IF anyone is looking for a good reason not to adopt the euro and is also seeking the meaning of the proposed EU constitution, they should read Article III-88 (1) of the document agreed on Friday by Tony Blair.

It reads: "In order to ensure the proper functioning of economic and monetary union, and in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Constitution, the Council shall, in accordance with the relevant procedure from among those referred to in Articles III-71 and III-76, with the exception of the procedure set out in paragraph 13 thereof, adopt measures specific to those Member States whose currency is the euro."

If anyone can make sense out of this, will they please contact me? This is not a "euro myth", it is a fact. No wonder our Prime Minister looked so ill when he came out of the summit meeting. - Peter Troy, Chairman, Darlington Branch Federation of Small Businesses.

THE European constitution is back on the agenda and Tony Blair wishes to come out and debate to "counter the myths".

This is the same man who said the constitution wasn't necessary. The man who didn't consider it important enough to hold a referendum until public pressure forced his hand. A mere "tidying-up exercise" this is not.

Anyone perpetuating the myths needs challenging.

Lie 1: "The EU has kept the peace in Europe for 50 years." The EU did not come into existence until the Maastricht Treaty in 1992. NATO and the nuclear deterrent have kept the peace in Europe.

Lie 2: "Three million jobs in Britain will be lost if we leave the EU." We have a trade deficit with the countries of the EU.

Lie 3: "The British people have known all along that the aim of the EU was political integration." No we haven't. It was always sold on economics and free trade.

Unfortunately for Mr Blair, the genie is now out of the bottle and he is the man on watch.

To sell the European project to a well-informed British public will require honesty and not spin. We have never consented to "shared governance" with a foreign authority and to continue to peddle the above lies will do supporters of political integration no good whatsoever. - Neil Herron, Campaign Director, Referendum04, Sunderland.

LOW FLYING

WHEN living in mid-Wales, I remember sheltering under the kitchen table when low flying jets went by.

Several years ago, my home town was narrowly missed by a Tornado jet. I thus feel great empathy for your correspondents.

With a son in the RAF who frequently flew from Linton-on-Ouse, I can also understand the need for crew training.

Last week, I attended a talk by an RAF rep on the need for low flying training - a bone of contention for many people across the UK.

Unfortunately, although some aspects of training can be simulated in a machine or exported to remote areas of Canada or the Mojave desert, there seems no alternative in other aspects to low flying in places like the North York Moors.

The activities of pilots are strictly controlled and the RAF does have a complaints procedure if anyone is unhappy with low flying activity around them. There is meant to be advance warning of exercises available on RAF websites. The RAF also weed out those trainee pilots and navigators who are not as safe as possible in non-combat situations.

My son was moved from navigator training to intelligence following exercises under real time and place G Force. Low flying practice is not ideal but it is essential if young men and women are to work safely in real situations. Nevertheless, we need to be sure that inhabitants below are not at undue risk of alarm. - Jacqueline Bell, PPC Liberal Democrats, Richmond.

BRIGHOUSE & RASTRICK BAND

AS a native of nearby Halifax, I was disappointed to read of the protest walk out at Sunday's concert at the Gala Theatre (Echo June 22).

More worryingly, your reporter displayed a marked lack of both historical and geographical knowledge when stating that the band is funded by subscription from "two former mining villages in Yorkshire".

It is true that Brighouse and Rastrick are in Yorkshire. Sadly, there is no mine within 20 miles of either community. The nearest part of the Yorkshire coalfield begins at Barnsley. - Peter Wilkinson, Barnard Castle.