Hear All Sides

In his letter he stated that we need a renewed sense of corporate social responsibility (CSR) between companies and the communities and the workforce which serves them.

We have heard this kind of statement before with disastrous results for those workers who have had to accept being made redundant.

The concept that management can only manage with the consent of the workforce was a good idea in 1917, but the world today is more complex. Did Mr Hughes consult his stakeholders about his salary and conditions?

I don't think so. He told them what they would be and their taxes would pay for them.

Within the widespread confusion in the modern world, caused partly through the decisions made by politicians, there could be reasons why people no longer bother to vote. - Thomas Conlon, Spennymoor.

PHEASANT SHOOTING

THE pheasant shooting season is with us again and, as surely as the return of the autumn mist, the animal rights organisation Animal Aid is slinging unsubstantiated allegations and twisted half truths in an attack on the sport.

Pheasant shooting is invaluable to the British economy and countryside. The majority of small woods in this country would not exist were it not for organised shooting. Thousands of working hours are put in every year to enhance and conserve wildlife habitats on shooting land to the benefit of many animals, including songbirds. The industry itself generates millions of pounds, much of which is fed back directly into the rural communities where shooting takes place.

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation, Britain's representative body for shooting sports, lays down an open challenge to Animal Aid - let us examine your alleged evidence. Where malpractice is proven, we will act. - Simon Clarke, BASC, Wrexham.

SINGLE CURRENCY

I SEE that the pro-euro organisation, Britain in Europe, forecasts that the UK would be more prosperous if we joined the single currency.

That is not what people who live in the euro currency countries are discovering. Unemployment in the eurozone is nearly double our rate, prices of everyday goods are soaring and a number of national economies are struggling.

Our industry receives more overseas investment than France and Germany combined and we do not have their high levels of unemployment caused by the euro's one-size-fits-all interest rate.

Britain is doing well. We currently have the best of both worlds - as an active member of the European Union while retaining control of our own economy.

Let's not be conned into risking this for the sake of a political currency experiment. - Lilian Mains, Business Council Member, The No Campaign North East.

ROBINS CINEMA

THE outrageous comments from County Councillor Nigel Martin (HAS, Oct 15) are typical of Liberal Democrats in Durham.

Like other residents we wish to see the survival of a cinema in the city. However, the future of Robins is subject to a commercial decision over which the council has no direct control.

The owners of the building were reported (Echo, Sept 26) to have said that it will have to close.

That is why the Labour group is responding to these circumstances by considering the installation of 35mm film equipment into the Gala. This would mean that mainstream films could be shown within our city centre. The Walkergate site is a commercial development, but unlike the city council's Millennium Scheme, which was delivered on time, work is yet to start.

Devoid of ideas themselves, the Liberal Democrats resort to irresponsible distortion of the facts for political expediency. - Mick Bennett, Durham City Labour Group.

ULRIKA JONSSON

AM I the only one who is totally fed up of hearing of Ulrika Jonsson's affairs?

We only have her word about what went on. If I was Ms Jonsson I would get a counsellor, or even better a shrink, and get herself sorted. She is nothing but an attention seeker. - S Beaton, Darlington.

JEFFREY ARCHER

LORD Archer should be stripped of his title. He has shamed the House of Lords by the life he has led.

Surely no one person can allow him the benefit of his breaking the law.

His wife must be really blind to his faults, as shown by her arrogant speeches on TV.

To go back to the House of Lords as though nothing has happened is a really bad example for the young people of today. - A Jackson, Darlington.

PARTY FUNDING

IT appears that the debate on the financing of political parties is on the agenda again.

The financing of political parties of any persuasion by multi-millionaires cannot be a good thing. A democracy financed by a plutocracy is no way to run a country.

As democrats we should pay for our own governing through the taxation system. Those who receive most will pay most. Since we are governed by political parties we should vote directly for political parties and not for personalities.

My ballot paper would just give the party names and the parties themselves would select the members to represent them. Seats would be allocated in proportion to the total number of votes cast for each of the various parties.

The parties would be financed from the public purse in proportion to the total number of votes they received. Personal financing of political parties would be outlawed or strictly limited.

I propose that this electoral system should also apply to local government. - W Collinson, Belmont, Durham City.