19/05/03

Public opinion is not considered and, one could conclude, sometimes not even heard. The miscreants who entered Tony Martin's home could have been under no illusion he was wealthy, the place was falling down around him. No, they saw him as easy prey, showing no regard for the fear and lasting psychological harm they would cause him.

I, like many of your readers, am a reasonable, right-minded person (legal term) and feel, legally, Tony Martin probably overstepped the reasonable force line, but for heaven's sake, he was a vulnerable old man, under intense pressure and there could easily have been a very different outcome, judging by these criminals' past history.

Tony Martin has been treated harshly. Let him out and give him a judge's pension. He deserves it. - Robert Bridgett, Shildon.

EUROPE

THE European Convention is currently drawing up a constitution for the EU, for which the final text is to be issued next year. This will, in effect, formally create a new state, and the United Kingdom will officially cease to exist as a nation state.

In the draft document, EU jurisdiction is specified in competition, trade, asylum and immigration, foreign affairs, industrial policy, agriculture, fisheries, energy, transport, regional government, consumer health, social and employment policy, justice and home affairs. No wonder Tony Blair goes on about health, as this is the only department we'd be left with.

If this is not a plan for a United States of Europe, it is difficult to think of what is. Article 9 spells out the legal position with brutal clarity: "The Constitution, and law adopted by the Union Institutions in exercising competences conferred on it by the Constitution, shall have primacy over the law of the Member States."

And yet despite all this, we still hear lies from our politicians, saying that they don't want a federal Europe. To deny that the EU is all about political union is either ignorance or deceit. - Jamie Mash, Northallerton.

WITHIN the next ten years it will not be a political decision that will determine whether the UK should join the euro, but one that is determined by the need to find a safe haven for Britain's failing economy.

All governments have ignored this prime determinant of the UK's future economic performance and where they have not created the right infrastructure for our creative thoughts to flourish. This fundamental flaw in government thinking will add to Britain's continual decline - now ranked down to the fifth largest economy in the world due to France's recent advance in the global economic stakes.

Unfortunately, more decline will come through government complacency and the lack of comprehension of what 21st century economics are and where these new economic systems will inextricably be driven by a nation's creative thoughts and their transformation into global technological industries. - Dr David Hill, Chief Executive, The World Innovation Foundation.

IRAQ

WHILST reading Peter Mullen's column (Echo, May 13) I remembered how, for decades, Saddam's regime had been supported by American and British money and munitions, despite the protests and warnings from those who Peter Mullen describes as "illiterate lefties... who make ill-educated and unpatriotic noises".

But as I read him praising the liberation of Iraqi oil, I was distracted by a television report on how ten of thousands of innocent Iraqis will die because of a cholera epidemic caused because repairing oil lines for cheaper petrol has a higher priority than repairing sewage and water pipes destroyed by coalition forces.

When asked about the 500,000 children killed by sanctions against Iraq, former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said: "It's a hard choice, but I think, we think, it's worth it". Are we therefore to assume that America believes the deaths of more innocent children is a price worth paying for cheaper oil? - HE Smith, Spennymoor.

MAYOR'S MESSAGE

AS we reach the end of our mayoral year, may we express our sincere gratitude to the people of Darlington and to those further afield in the region for helping to make our year so wonderful.

It has been a genuine honour to have served the town and to have met so many of our residents. Their warmth and kindness towards the mayoralship has been very special.

We would like to say a special thank you to the ladies and gentleman who work in the Mayor's Charity Shop. Their hard work has allowed us to distribute the magnificent sum of £26,420 to a total of 78 individuals or groups throughout the borough. Thank you once again. - Doris and Brian Jones, Mayor's Parlour, Darlington Town Hall.

PIGEONS

THERE are many of us in Darlington who are disappointed pigeon feeding is included in the new anti-litter ruling in the town centre.

Food is not litter and the pigeons always eat it all.

The little bit of mess made by the pigeons is tolerable compared with paper litter dropped regularly by people and much cheaper to clean up.

People's litter takes all week to clear up, whereas the pigeons' droppings only need the occasional tidy up, which would be in only in two places.

I am sure there are plenty of us who do not quibble at the small cost of cleaning up pigeons' mess and are quite happy for our taxes to be used for that.

The pigeons could be fed in a designated area, such as beside the Boot and Shoe pub in the Market Square beside the seats.

To starve them to death is unacceptable in this day and age. They are harmless and bring pleasure to many of us.

Let's hope this pettiness is revised. This is not miserable London, is it? - Name and address supplied.