24/06/03

John Burton, Mr Blair's agent, said that he was "hurt" by Joan's anti-war attitude. Pathetic!

I was present when Joan gave a TV interview against the war in Iraq. She recalled her experience of the Blitz in London during the Second World War. She abhorred war. Her heart went out to all the innocent Iraqi children facing death in the bombing - but she never attacked Mr Blair personally.

Joan is a lifelong member of the Labour Party and a founder member of Trimdon Labour Club, and she was not alone in her opposition to the war: many hundreds of thousands of Labour members and voters were present at the largest ever anti-war demonstration in London on February 15 and took part in peace vigils and demonstrations.

To deny her the opportunity to attend Mr Blair's party at her own club, on the basis of her deep-held beliefs, emphasises the control freakery of this Government.

Mr Burton's comments that "she has got to realise the consequences of her actions" are beneath contempt. - R Wanless, Fishburn.

I CANNOT see the justification or wisdom in banning Joan Smith from Mr Blair's party (Echo, June 10).

As a Christian, she opposed the invasion of Iraq - as did many Christians.

In banning this stalwart of 65 years because of her moral views, John Burton - to his credit an active Christian - confirmed his unreserved enthusiasm for his boss' early invasion plans. - EA Murtagh, Sedgefield.

THE banning of Joan Smith shows the world that the rule is don't think, do as you are told. Do not think you have any right to your own conscience.

Mrs Smith has been a Labour Party member for 65 years, and yet you can bet that some of the people at the party were businessmen who carry a card but never vote Labour. How low can you go? - Peter Brown, Trimdon Village.

JOAN Smith says: "I feel like I have been treated like a little girl who's had a slap on the hand by a teacher."

Of course, being a cry baby is the action of a little girl.

She chose to actively demonstrate against the Government, so it is a bit rich of her to expect to be invited to a party given to honour the leader of the Government.

Mrs Smith correctly says that since we live in a democracy it is her right to oppose the Government if she chooses to do so. She exercised her right to free speech when she spoke out on television.

Surely it is only right and proper that John Burton has the same privileges.

Mr Burton has the right to invite anyone he wants to a party. He also has the freedom to choose his friends as he also lives in a democracy. - G Robson, Peterlee

JOB LOSSES

BLACK and Decker, nor any other employer, should not be on a list of shame for being unable to cope in tough economic conditions (Echo, June 19).

If there is any shame, it rests squarely on the shoulders of the politicians who seem to believe that ever increasing taxation and regulation is the way to run the country.

Small businesses are going bankrupt in huge numbers and big business is thumbing its nose and going elsewhere.

Soon the growing number of public employees will have to be taxed even more heavily to pay for their own pay rises. No one else will be working. - FA Suhadolnik, Darlington.

I WONDER if Darlington MP Alan Milburn or council leader John Williams could explain their interventions at Rothmans?

They say they want to do "all they can" to help Rothmans workers. I worked for nearly 42 years for Darlington Simpson Rolling Mills/British Steel/Corus and when Corus decided to close its Darlington plant what help did we get from these men? None. - Peter Davidson, Darlington.

AS a non-smoker I'm not too bothered if Rothmans make ciggies or not. However, I am bothered about manufacturers moving from Britain merely to cut wage bills.

I suggest that all British smokers boycott Rothmans' products to make the company realise that moving house can be costly. - F Atkinson, Shincliffe.

POLICE AND CYCLISTS

I READ with interest Darlington police's attempts to combat underage motorcyclists (Echo, June 10). I wonder if Cleveland Police will make a similar effort with regard to children's motorised scooters?

When one sees two boys aged about ten zooming down suburban estate roads at almost 30mph, on one scooter, without helmets, and in the dark, without lights, then one must wonder at the sense of their parents. - E Gendle, Middlesbrough.

WITH reference to your item on cyclists on pavements in Cockerton (Echo, June 17). Is this the reason for the large increase in the carrying of walking sticks? Self defence? - JJ Layton, Darlington.

FOOTBALL

THE BBC employs the finest brains in football to explain the finer points of the game to us.

During the match against Slovakia at Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium, that brilliant strategist Peter Reid was there to point out where England were going wrong and what they had to do to put things right.

This cannot be the same Peter Reid who was sacked as a failure by Manchester City and who created the worst team ever to play in the Premiership at Sunderland, the man who relegated the team twice and left the club with debts of more than £26m? - R Jameson, Easington, Peterlee.