21/10/03

There is indeed a fear in the country of standing up and speaking, nay, shouting out about what is decent and morally right. The all pervading belief in 'say and do what you like, no one has the right to criticise you', is completely wrong. It is the root of much of the corruption and escalating descent into the language and behaviour of the gutter that is rapidly engulfing swathes of our society.

It is not that people don't know right from wrong; everyone has a conscience that pricks. It is the distorted, over psychoanalysed train of thought that on no account must anyone be blamed for being cruel, sadistic, destructive, sexually deviant or merely badly behaved.

We need more courageous gentlemen like Gareth Southgate and women too, who will stand up and champion the silent majority, who are at present feeling helpless and desolate at what the mindless and morally corrupt minority are doing to our society. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

CONSERVATIVE PARTY

SHADOW Chancellor Michael Howard said the Conservatives are a party of law and taxation.

I remember the Tories putting up VAT from eight per cent to 17.5 per cent, VAT on household fuel, and VAT on fish and chips.

Of course they don't call them stealth taxes when they put them up. The people of this country will judge at the next election who will govern.

I don't think it will be the Tories of high taxation. - Gordon Hodgson, Bishop Auckland.

LAW AND ORDER

I READ with interest a recent article which said that police were warning of an increase in burglaries during darker evenings.

Would it not help if the clocks were not changed until the end of November and February and then by half an hour only? It has got to be worth a try for say three years to see if this would help deter criminals. - F Atkinson, Shincliffe.

CHILDREN'S MENUS

IT was good to see the letter from nine-year-old Kathryn Boyd about children's menus.

We as children had smaller helpings of adults' food and were healthy. Children's menus are cheap for eating places.

Please, restaurants, children do need to see meat, fish and vegetables in their natural form. - CM Johnson, Bedale.

PUBLIC UTILITIES

THE economic theory behind privatisation of public utilities was that private investment could be introduced in a timely manner as and when the need arises.

With industries such as rail and water, which now need considerable investment, the demand for money would have had to compete with the needs of health and education.

It was thought that the investment would be attracted because the returns on it would be more regular and predictable than where everything is subject to the vacillations of the market place.

We find now that such vital industries as the railways and water and sewerage have to rely on public money. The availability of private investment does not match the need. But the need has to be satisfied in such vital industries.

Anyone who examines the position objectively and free from political dogma can see that money from private sources is not so certain and public money has to be found.

The chickens now come home to roost, because over a long time the necessary investment has not been afforded. It has been more politically popular to think of tax cuts, rather than ensure that enough tax has been collected to pay for work that ultimately has to be done for the economy to function.

When the Government summons the courage to come to us for more money in taxation they will be hard put to answer the question why they did not say it was needed before matters reached critical proportions. - Geoffrey Bulmer, Billingham.

GM CROPS

THE recent 'results' of GM crop trials have proved little, except that we know practically nothing about this new technology.

If we need an accurate picture of the reality of the GM 'dream', then we only need to ask American farmers.

They have been growing GM crops for years. Their profits are down, they have found themselves locked into buying expensive GM seeds and weed killer, whilst the EU market for their crops (worth $300m) has all but disappeared.

Their environment has suffered too, as they have to apply several doses of herbicides to their crops. In fact, this is proving more damaging than the previous intensive methods.

GM, GM-free, and organic farmers alike find themselves tangled in a litigation nightmare as the GM-free farmers are contaminated and go bankrupt.

And as for the consumers, inexplicably, no studies have been done on them, but research suggests a massive increase in airborne allergies.

All in all, GM has cost the US economy $12bn net (1999-2001), wreaked environmental havoc, and produced long-term and uncertain side effects.

Where are the 'benefits' in this? - Pam Woolner, No 1 Euro-candidate for North-East Greens.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

WITH the approach of winter, not everybody can jet off to enjoy a warmer climate overseas. However, many readers of The Northern Echo could be eligible to claim Government grants worth up to £2,500 to make their homes warmer and more energy efficient.

You may have read about these Warm Front Grants, but not enough of you are coming forward to claim your entitlement.

Warm Front Grants are aimed at owner-occupiers and people who rent their homes from private landlords. If this applies to you, and you have young children or are pregnant, and are claiming income-related or disability benefits, or if you are aged over 60 and receiving benefits, you might be eligible.

Just call Freephone 0800 316 6015 to speak to a trained adviser who can assess if you are entitled to claim. Calls, which are free of charge, will be answered between 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday. - Judith Chalmers.