24/11/03

During the course of an interview given to The Sunday Telegraph, Mr Davis gave an honest answer to an honest question. Asked his personal opinion on the death penalty, he asserted that he 'personally' was in favour of its reintroduction in certain circumstances. He highlighted pre-meditated murder, serial killings and child killers to illustrate the categories where he felt it should be applied.

He concluded his response by stressing again that his remarks were personal and not a point of Conservative Party policy.

Pretty straightforward you may think.

The media pack, however, saw the opportunity for mischief. Several newspapers headlined 'Davis calls for the return of the death penalty' etc.

The key point made by Mr Davis was that he knew that capital punishment would not return, as it is still a 'free vote' issue, with no political party having a policy for or against.

To his discredit, Mr Davis neglected to add that even were a return to capital punishment declared as a manifesto commitment by any political party, it could never be implemented. Why? Because capital punishment is barred by the EU and as long as we remain a member of this pernicious organisation we are powerless to make our own decisions.

As a supposed Eurosceptic, Mr Davis knows this, and his opinions would have had an even greater public resonance had he made this vital point. - Dave Pascoe, Press Secretary Hartlepool Branch, UK Independence Party.

MIDDLE EAST

I DRAW your attention to the current Amnesty International campaign for the right to work in Palestine.

The 300 checkpoints, blockades, need for permits, curfews and prohibition on the use of all major roads plus minor roads in the proximity of the illegal Israeli settlements create untold hardship.

Restrictions on travel and transport of goods (even on accessible roads, lorries etc, have to be completely unloaded at a checkpoint and then loaded again on the other side) has led to a massive closing down of workplaces or severe restrictions on operating times.

Largely because of this, 60 per cent of the population of the occupied territories now have incomes below the official UN breadline of $2 a day. They have survived only through the help of the Red Cross and other charities.

The restrictions have had a terrible effect, particularly on the old and sick and anyone needing medical treatment. One of the worst effects, however, has undoubtedly been the huge increase in unemployment and reduction in the hours it is possible to work by those with a job. - John Severs, Durham Action Group Campaign Co-ordinator, Amnesty International.

PUBLIC SERVICES

I READ with dismay about people putting rubbish out for collection on the wrong day and being fined £50.

Does this mean when the council goes on strike and we have to keep rubbish stored at home, we the residents can ask the council for payment for inconvenience? - CW Rickaby, Richmond.

PRESIDENT BUSH

AS an expatriate Trimdon resident and now a British Colombian, who is proud that Canada stayed out of Bush's war for oil, it was sad to read that some residents of Trimdon cheered the President and Tony Blair.

I speak from experience when I say that there are places in Canada which, like Trimdon, would feel honoured to have been visited by the Black Death.

In fact, I suppose Trimdon was visited by the Black Death. I miss the old place but, thank goodness, I wasn't there to witness that horror show. - George Robson, British Columbia, Canada.

I AM no lover of Americans. I find their forces' gung-ho attitude abhorrent, their arrogance grates like nails on a chalkboard, and as for their attitude that Britain is the sixth fleet's unsinkable aircraft carrier, well, my attitude is unprintable.

Yes, I also agree that the invasion of Iraq was more a case of unfinished family business than stamping out terrorism.

However, that's where I part company with the protestors against the Bush visit. By involving us in the war in Iraq he has, thanks to Malaya, Aden, Kenya and Northern Ireland, gained access to what he knows are the best trained, though sadly not best equipped, anti-terrorist forces in the world - the British Army.

By coming here, to what is after all to many Americans the cradle of the American nation, he will have also done immeasurable good to the economy of this area.

As often it is a case of where the President leads his people will follow, and there are some pleasant Americans. - Graham Eason, Darlington.

EDUCATION

I CAN'T have been the only person that spotted this, but in the jobs page (Echo, Nov 19) I saw an ad for a Business & Enterprise Manager £26k-28k.

Where do you think it could be for? A manufacturing company, mobile phone network, a builder of new houses, a football club perhaps? No, it was for a school.

I thought education was struggling for funds. I wonder if some teachers pick that sort of money up. Perhaps they do.

It seems that after this year rolls in secondary schools will fall, which might result in some schools being shut down. In addition, the schools are dropping to bits. Would that be an increase in business and enterprise opportunities?

It makes you think how we ever survived before. As a kid I always had books etc provided free, and schools seemed to get a lick of paint every now and then.

Well that's progress I suppose. It seems that the squandering of public money merrily plods on as long as it sounds impressive.

Which people decide these things? I would be interested to know and what is the justification.

The tax payer picks up the bill as usual. - Steve Hodgson, Darlington.

CHRISTIANITY

CT Riley (Has, Nov 18), states that the slaves David Livingstone, the 19th century Christian medical missionary, was trying to free 'were all owned by committed Christians'.

Livingstone spent much of his life fighting the slave trade in Central and East Africa, the many victims of this trade were native Africans who were captured by Arab entrepreneurs from the Middle East for sale in the slave markets there.

Whatever else these entrepreneurs and their customers were, they were certainly not Christians, either nominal or committed. CT Riley's readiness to rush into print without checking this basic fact speaks volumes for the credibility of the rest of his anti-Christian tirade without need of further comment from me.

As for John Young (HAS, Nov 18) I can see in general where he's coming from, ie not just Christianity but all religions are bad, but I'm not at all clear as to what precise point he's supposed to be making, and I'm not sure if he is himself. If he'd care to re-phrase his point, whatever it is, in plain English I might be in a position to offer him a reply. - Tony Kelly, Crook.