27/11/03

There may be a case to be made for it if it did, indeed, act as a deterrent, but it doesn't and it never has.

The vast majority of US states have re-introduced the death penalty but with no effect. The US still has one of the highest murder rates in the world, far higher than any other country in the West, where it is the only country where the death penalty is in force.

A vitally important factor is that there is no redress in case of error. You can't bring an innocent person back to life again.

Where would those whose convictions have been shown to be false in recent times, such as the Birmingham six, be now?

This is one reason why a number of US states are having second thoughts.

The absence of capital punishment is, in my view, the sign of a civilised society. A return to killing sanctioned by the state would be both regressive and regrettable. - John Severs, Durham.

SOME readers have recently written to applaud David Davis' position on the death penalty. I would like to put an opposing view.

The use of capital punishment constitutes a violation of the foremost human right, the right to life. No offence can ever justify the state setting aside the fundamental rights of one of its citizens in this way.

Furthermore, it is an irreversible punishment, so since it will inevitably sometimes be applied to the innocent, it gives rise to incorrigible injustices. It has also never been shown to have a stronger deterrent effect than imprisonment, as one can easily see from the example of America, where the expanding use of the death penalty has gone hand in hand with rising crime rates. There is thus no valid reason to resort to this barbaric practice.

Mr Pascoe (HAS, Nov 24) is right to say that the European Union is opposed to the death penalty in all cases. I think this should be applauded; it represents part of an international consensus that the use of the death penalty has no place in a democratic society that respects the rights of all its members.

This consensus has been embodied in a wide range of international treaties since the right to life was asserted in the United Nations universal declaration of human rights in 1948.

The United Kingdom has been a leader in encouraging respect for all human rights, and in developing international agreements to protect these rights. - Simon Ross, Death Penalty Campaign Co-ordinator, Durham Action Group, Amnesty International.

COUNCIL SERVICES

I REFER to Coun Joe Armstrong's letter (HAS, Nov 24).

Firstly, the committee to which he refers has 42 Labour, four Liberals, three Independents and two Conservatives. Now that's democratic and non political, isn't it? It also has no powers of determination.

My main concerns, as a Durham County councillor, are the people I represent and seeing that jobs and services are both maintained and improved.

Perhaps Coun Armstrong should set up a scrutiny meeting to look at the cost of venues and 'junkets', as he obviously knows very little about them, because the council taxpayer pays for them. - County Councillor John Shuttleworth, Durham County Council.

WILDLIFE

REGARDING the article (Echo, Nov 20) 'Ratty makes a comeback', I'd like to draw your attention to similar efforts being made in the North-East to safeguard the future of the water vole.

The Durham Biodiversity Action Plan Partnership is carrying out a similar project in Durham working with local authorities, the public and industry to reverse the 93 per cent local decline in water vole numbers. The unique element of this project is that it is the first time the Heritage Lottery Fund has funded such a project.

I hope The Northern Echo and its readers will support the project by becoming involved as, without the support of the people of the North-East the future for this, the most charismatic of our riverside animals, looks bleak.

If we want to stop 'ratty' becoming extinct in the region we will have to act now before it is too late. - James Cokill, Project Officer, Durham Biodiversity Action Plan.

RUGBY UNION

IF, according to President Chirac, the England win over Australia was a triumph for Europe, how would he classify the England win over France? - Neil Herron, Sunderland.

PRESIDENT BUSH

THE Northern Echo has adopted a balanced editorial stance on the subject of international terrorism and the Western response, producing intelligent comment and background analysis, as well as encouraging the expression of all shades of opinion.

However, the coverage of Mr Bush's visit was dreadful (Echo, Nov 22).

We were subjected to page after page of sycophantic sentimentality, while Chris Lloyd poured scorn on "snarling" protestors with "faces contorted with rage".

I did not attend the protest, but I know many who did. They are courteous, compassionate people of all ages, by nature incapable of the behaviour described. It was wrong to imply that opposition to Mr Bush and his "War on Terror" is confined to a handful of noisy extremists; but perhaps more dignified protests attract less attention.

Good publicity for the North-East is welcome, but not on the basis of a fictional representation of a region offering an enthusiastic and almost unqualified welcome to someone whom many regard as the most dangerous man in the world. - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

IF anybody in the 1930s had the guts to stop Hitler for breaking the Treaty of Versailles, the way Tony Blair and President Bush stopped Saddam Hussein for breaking the UN resolutions, the Second World War may never have happened and millions of lives would have been saved. - Name and address supplied.

POPPY APPEAL

MAY I thank all who so generously contributed to the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal and the Royal Air Force Association Wings Appeal during the last 15 years.

Their donations are greatly appreciated, especially the residents of the Greenways, Mayfields and the Close Crescent. - Carmel Connolly, Spennymoor.