31/10/03

Were I responsible for advising the Prime Minister, the best medical, as well as political, advice I could offer him would be to cut down drastically on his international commitments.

He has spent the best part of his time in office frenetically jetting around the globe, across several time zones, all in furtherance of policies that do not correspond to the true interests and priorities of the British people.

While here at home, for the want of effective political direction, the fabric of our society - transport, health, education, law and order, the countryside - has been crumbling around us.

It is time the Prime Minister recognised that his duties lie here, not in America, Europe, China, Russia or even Iraq. - T Kelly, Crook.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

I BELIEVE that Sedgefield Borough Council's one-party council cabinet denies a large percentage of the electorate a say in the everyday running of the council's affairs.

If you are not a Labour supporter, your views are ignored.

True democracy demands a measure of proportional representation. The minority have just as much right to have their views considered as have the majority.

Such a move may go some way towards curbing a widely-held belief that many staff appointments are made more on the basis of who you know, rather than what you know.

It is a sad fact of political life that many who support any current ruling party do so in search of personal gratification rather than the greater public interest, playing follow-my-leader in the process. - AW Dunn, Spennymoor.

BUREAUCRACY

THOSE who rail against European bureaucrats (22,500 in Brussels) might care to note that, over the last 12 months, an extra 23,500 bureaucrats have been recruited by the UK Government, on top of around the 500,000 we started with. - Robin Ashby, Director, North-East in Europe Ltd.

ANIMAL WELFARE

AS a nation of animal lovers, there must be one animal that holds a special place in our hearts - the horse.

I am therefore appalled to learn of new EU proposals to inflict great suffering on these noble and gentle animals.

For about 30 years, the export of horses, ponies and donkeys from the UK for slaughter abroad has been banned. Horses are poor travellers and suffer immensely if they are sent on long journeys.

However, new EU regulation will force the UK to drop its ban and we will see horses and ponies from the New Forest, Dartmoor and elsewhere being exported to the continent where they will be slaughtered for meat.

Anyone who cares about horses must help stop this happening. We can protect these wonderful animals if we all act together. - Name and address supplied.

TEESSIDE AIRPORT

CHANGING the name of an airport should only be done for one reason - to increase revenue.

Peel renamed Liverpool the John Lennon International Airport in a blaze of publicity. It did not add a single passenger above natural increase and is always referred to as Liverpool, both locally and abroad.

The only way dramatically to increase revenue at our well-run and easy to use airport is to build 200,000 extra houses and a major industrial complex in the area. Changing a name won't do it.

The six local shareholding authorities should protest at this foolish and retrograde step. - Dave Hodgson, Richmond.

ASYLUM SEEKERS

I AM sick and tired of reading about all these do-gooders defending asylum seekers.

Do they not realise Britain is just a small island in the North Sea, 500 miles long and 200 miles wide?

Most of our food is imported, whereas Africa has thousands of square miles to grow food.

Our young people can't get on the property ladder, yet councils in Lancashire are buying whole streets to house immigrants.

We are sinking. Something has to be done to stop this massive drain on British tax payers who are already the most taxed people in Europe. - Paul Waterworth, Ferryhill.

ROYAL FAMILY

METHINKS William and Harry doth protest too much.

I can understand why they feel the way they do, but the simple fact is Paul Burrell was virtually Diana's confessor.

He obviously feels the public have a right to know the truth about Diana, who was loved by countless millions of people and who was disgracefully treated by Charles and Camilla.

Harry and William can hardly complain about Mr Burrell making money. After all, the princes are both multi-millionaires despite never having earned any of it.

Finally, William and Harry knew their mother despised bloodsports, yet she was hardly cold in her grave when they had their guns out. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

FLUORIDATION

FLUORIDATION, started in 1940s America, was found to be a profitable way to dispose of toxic industrial waste products. Controversy still rages and in the past 12 years over 70 US cities have stopped it.

Big business interests are likely to be behind the pressure in the UK for fluoridation; promoters have made misleading statements claiming fluoridation is safe and that it leads to up to a 60 per cent reduction in tooth decay.

The York Review did not find it to be safe and the reduction in decay only 15 per cent. In fluoridated areas, 48 per cent of children had dental mottling. Fluoridation promoters say three per cent of children had dental mottling.

Scientists assert natural calcium fluoride in water is harmless and that it is not retained in the body, but that added fluoridation accumulates in the body. Dental mottling is a sign of fluoride toxicity, which also damages bone structures, kidneys and other organs.

Boiling fluoridated water definitely increases concentration so, with all supplies fluoridated, soups, jams, baby foods, beer, etc will contain far more than the safety level. Water companies could face massive claims by those adversely affected.

All European countries have now wisely banned fluoridation.

Action is now needed to expose serious flaws in fluoridation propaganda to prevent deliberate contamination of our water and violation of our democratic rights. - FG Bishop, Darlington.