16/04/04

Why would David Beckham leave Madrid to join his wife in the French Alps if they did not get on?

They are a very happy couple and someone is just trying to cause trouble for them, give them a bad image, and make some money out of a false newspaper report.

All I can say to the Beckhams is carry on living your happy married life and don't let any newspaper reports dampen your relationship. - Margaret A Greenhalgh, Darlington.

COUNCILS

COUNCILLOR Jim Ruck did not explain (HAS, Apr 6) the poor turnouts by voters at the elections.

In this country, with so many conscientious candidates, you would have thought the public would flock to the polls.

Our country as a whole is going backwards instead of forwards. I hope to see changes for the better which will give the public some say for the future. - N Tate, Darlington.

IN response to Councillor Jim Ruck (HAS, Apr 6), I contend that the incidence of nepotism, cronyism and favouritism in local government goes beyond an acceptable degree.

These obnoxious practices appear to be regularly apparent in respect of housing allocations, planning applications and appointments.

I will not accept criticism of my opinion from any other but those who, like myself, have at first hand suffered the ignominy of having a bailiff enter their homes, removal wagon and two assistants waiting outside. This was because of disputed rent arrears, and my subsequent charge of maladministration against the local authority was upheld by the Ombudsman.

The cursory verbal apology I received does nothing to erase the trauma and stigma I will carry to the grave.

Oh yes, I agree we have many dedicated and conscientious councillors, yet it only takes one rotten apple to ruin a barrel. - AW Dunn, Spennymoor.

GRAND NATIONAL

IN SPITE of many people regarding the Grand National as cruel for the horses, I think this year's race was the best ever. No fatalities, and to see Ginger McCain triumph again after so many lean years since the retirement of Red Rum was most heartening.

He refers to the National as "the people's race", a far cry from the cap and tweeds Cheltenham.

Although he had an Irish jockey it seemed a truly British event.

No doubt that National more than any other race needs Lady Luck smiling on you, but jockey Graham Lee rode a tremendous race, patient and there at the right time.

When he crossed the finishing line instead of the usual standing up in the stirrups with whip held high he humbly crossed himself thanking the Lord for a safe journey - a wonderful gesture in our holiest week. - Douglas Punchard, Kirkbymoorside.

PENSIONERS

WHY are our MPs allowed payment from outside interests on top of their MP's salary? At the same time, pensioners are having to exist on the state pension and those of them lucky enough to have savings through hard work and thrift are bled through having those savings taxed.

May I remind MPs we pensioners worked to create the wealth for this country and not MPs. We also fought in two world wars for freedom and democracy and not to be taken liberties with.

Also, not to be classed as second-class citizens which is happening at the moment.

May we remind them we are the backbone voters of this country, so these MPs will get the answer at the next election. - Mrs Little, Hartlepool.

TONY Blair and Gordon Brown expect pensioners to live on a pittance, but at the same time allow illegal immigrants into our country with the knock-on costs on housing, health, transport, welfare etc. They pretend to have it all under control, but in reality they have no idea of the numbers involved.

The devastating fact is that because of our continued membership of the European Union, with the support of the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives, we shall have no control over our borders whatsoever. Enough is enough. Our island is full.

With taxes, rules and regulations stifling us, millions of pensioners who have worked hard and saved all their lives see their hopes dashed.

When Mr Blair says that it would be good for us to sign up to the EU constitution and that it would not mean any further loss of our sovereignty, does anybody believe him? - Stephen Feaster, Chairman, UK Independence Party, Ryedale Branch.

14th ARMY

DOUGLAS Wilks (Echo, Apr 9) is right when he says the 14th Army in the Far East during the Second World War was the "forgotten army".

People in this country, including the media, have no idea what the lads out there went through. The few that returned were in a very sad state and most were crippled in mind or body.

What did they get for it? Like most soldiers, a worthless two-and-a-half pence campaign medal.

Fortunately, by a quirk of fate, I was not in the 14th Army but went to the desert and the 8th Army, the 2nd Division, which I was in during 1939-40 in Belgium and France.

Have a nice trip to the Far East, Douglas. I expect you will shed a few tears before you return. - H. Kirby, Northallerton.

FARMING

J HESLOP'S determination to defend modern farming at all costs (Echo, Apr 10) is beginning to look a shade desperate.

How can he possibly claim there was no connection between foot-and-mouth and modern farming methods?

Let us not forget what we are talking about: the grossly unnatural and unhygienic conditions and practices to which modern farmers subject their livestock in intensive piggeries and battery units etc.

The public got a glimpse of the inhumanity involved during the foot-and-mouth epidemic.

Did they but know the half of it there would be a national outcry, including a demand for the closure of Defra and the worst offenders.

Neither let us forget the thousands of other small businesses that went bust because of foot-and-mouth: country pubs, shops etc, as well as those many small, family farms that genuinely care for their animals.

With such people I have intense sympathy. For the typically brutal face of modern intensive agriculture I have intense revulsion and I should have thought the same would be true of anyone conversant with the facts. - T. Kelly, Crook.