PAUL BURRELL: I DO think Paul Burrell was right and that he should have the right to write his book.

Other people write memoirs of their lives and the people they work with and for, so why not him?

I also think that we should have the right to know what these people who rule and govern us get up to. After all, we not only pay to keep these people in their highly exalted places, but we are also expected to revere and respect them.

I always thought the British people were held in contempt and betrayed by the establishment way back in 1936 when all the world knew about the affair between King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson and they didn't. - Olga Foster, Bishop Auckland.

IT'S a good thing we're living in the 21st century rather than a few hundred years ago. There was a time when someone who behaved like Paul Burrell would have been sent straight to the Tower. By now he would probably be minus his head.

No matter what the ins and outs of the arguments of what really went on between Diana, Princess of Wales, and the Royal family, he, as a supposedly trusted member of staff, should not be betraying secrets and telling tales. His cries of "if only there had been one telephone call" were pathetic.

What a pity so many people are lining his pockets with ill-gotten gains by buying his book. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY

THE Tories seem to be in a flap, all the time. Ken Clarke is dying to take us into Europe, at whatever the cost, and Iain Duncan Smith wanted a referendum. Their trouble is one of policy.

Tony Blair took over the Tory policy.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

MIKE Parker, Director-General of Nexus, is calling on the Government to bring back bus regulation.

Unfortunately, as ever, Mike is being selective in his use of information and in his attribution of the decline in bus use to deregulation of the industry in 1986.

There is no question that bus services are a lifeline for people on low incomes. However, what Mike conveniently overlooks is the enormous change in land use planning in the last 20 years, which has seen the creation of substantial out-of-town shopping developments, the development of much lower density housing and a rapid growth in car ownership. That growth in car ownership lead to a 'double whammy' because as more people use their car they create more delay for bus services, leading to further pressure on patronage.

In many parts of the country, local authorities have been proactive in recognising these problems in seeking to recreate reliable operating conditions for bus services through traffic management and in working in partnership with the operators. In the case of Tyne and Wear not only are there significant areas of congestion unaddressed by local authorities but Nexus has been a major contributor to decline in bus use through continued cuts in the value of concessionary fare schemes for the elderly and for children. They have, of course, also extended the Metro system through Sunderland in a way which, while failing to achieve its patronage targets, has of course resulted in a decline in bus use in some parts of the area. I wonder why Mike remains silent on issues of this sort. - Chris Noyes, Deputy Chief Executive, Go-Ahead Group; President, Confederation of Passenger Transport.

FIREWORKS

WHAT a case for banning fireworks altogether. Injuries to children, one badly burned boy and another who lost an eye, and there are many more not reported.

After campaigning for two years against the abuse of fireworks - even taking our petitions to London - the Government has listened and the 1875 law which prohibits the throwing in the streets of these dangerous objects will be implemented and the shops could not sell fireworks until three weeks before November 5.

The organised bonfires are the answer but we, the campaigners, will continue to press this Government for all-out ban on selling because rogue traders are selling on the streets and, in the wrong hands, there can be many more injuries.

It's coming to something when shops have to lock their doors, otherwise we would have fireworks thrown in the shops.

We had a rocket three weeks ago aimed at us in our shop, so the sooner we get the ban our streets will not only be quieter but safer. - Councillor Pearl Hall, South Bank.

EUROPE

ROBIN Ashby asks those who rail against European bureaucrats (HAS, Oct 31) to note that there are many more civil servants in the UK than there are in Europe. He means of course the EU.

Mr Ashby is indeed correct and should have taken advantage of the letters page to congratulate the EU's system of government. The great success, in fact genius, of the EU is that it has managed to persuade the 15 (soon to be 25) national governments to implement, pay for and police the 89,000 pages of EU regulations and directives that affect all of our lives.

Member states need vast numbers of paper pushers because of their membership of the EU, which is the most bureaucratic organisation the modern world has ever produced. The fact that the likes of Mr Ashby totally miss that point is indeed evidence of a very great deception.

Never before in the history of Europe has so much been administered by so many because of so few. - Peter Troy, Director, Better Off Out Ltd.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

EVERY year the people of the North-East respond magnificently to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.

During 2002, the national appeal raised more than £21m for the direct benefit of the ex-service community in need. People in our region dug deep and we should be proud of ourselves - but we have more to do.

This year there is a new challenge. The RBL will play a central role in helping the families of British Servicemen who have died in Iraq, and helping those who are injured and traumatised to return to normal civilian life.

It is essential that finds are in place to ensure that the Legion can continue to provide help as it has done for more than 80 years.

This year the organisation has launched a special recruitment campaign to encourage more volunteers to help with collecting, an essential element to ensure the Poppy Appeal continues to grow to meet the new demands on the Legion's services.

I urge people to rise to this new challenge. The work of the Royal British Legion is crucial to ensuring continued support for the ex-service community whose bravery has made a difference to all our lives.

Now we have the chance to repay the debt and make a difference to their lives.

Let's wear our poppies with pride. - County Councillor Alan Fenwick, Chairman, Durham County Council.