Hear All Sides

BOBBY THOMPSON

MANY of us remember comedian Bobby Thomson with affection. After a hard day's work down the pit, many of us would relax in the workmen's club, drinking a pint and listening to Bobby.

One sure laugh would be when the Little Waster would say: "I got up this morning to stop off work."

It would have been wonderful for us to be able to stay off work for a few days. We needed the rest. But we couldn't afford it. We were not paid to stay off work.

We now have a shortage of police officers and school teachers, but there are people who say that if we could only persuade the police and teachers that we already have to go to work, then there would be no shortage. Some of them get up each morning to stop off work.

After a lifetime working underground, semi-naked and bathed in sweat, we were longing to reach our retirement age of 65. Our old age pension might not be much but at least we would be breathing fresh air.

The police and teachers now retire in middle age and with very substantial pensions. It may have been stressful for them walking a beat or sitting in a room full of noisy children, but believe me, it is far more stressful digging coal in a burrow underneath the North Sea.

Never mind, as Bobby would say: "Sup off the dog's won." - J Scott, Easington.

THE EURO

WE have just elected a Government; if the Prime Minister has his way, this may well be the last time it matters whom we elect.

The first duty of a national government is to guard the security and prosperity of the nation; if, for instance, the national economy is sluggish, or overheated, the government must take any steps necessary to stir it up or damp it down.

One way of doing this is to alter the interest rate up or down, thus increasing or decreasing the amount of money in circulation; which is exactly what we shall be prevented from doing if we swap the pound for the euro. One consequence of a common currency will be a common interest rate, which will not be shaped with reference to British needs. - TJ Towers, Langley Park.

IT has been reported that the German finance minister, with the backing of the Belgians and Romano Prodi, the president of the European Commission, is calling for a euro tax to be levied by the EU on all its citizens.

As Germany and Belgium are two of the highest-taxed countries, you can be sure that it is not the intention to reduce their taxes. Rather that low tax countries, like Britain, must increase its taxes to German and Belgian levels.

He does admit that this policy has significant political consequences as an EU tax would further strengthen the EU Parliament and would mark a shift in the political balance towards Brussels.

Not for the first time, the UK has its back to the wall and one must ask how long can Tony Blair hold out against EU pressure? - K Peacock, Hurworth Place, Darlington.

FOOT-AND-MOUTH

THE foot-and-mouth epidemic showing no signs of abating. It's more a case of will it ever end?

Many people have thought those trying to eliminate it have been the most likely ones for spreading it. What are people all over the country who have exercised restraint from the very beginning likely to think of vets working in infected areas coming back nightly to hotel accommodation in a clean area? How irresponsible can you be?

From the first outbreak, every department seemed to be taken completely by surprise and was totally unprepared, yet the researchers have continually had us believe that their department has kept up with the disease over the last 30 years. Where is the evidence?

The only thing we've seen is the outmoded mass slaughter policy. Right from the start, the emphasis against vaccination has been on the ruination of the export market, yet the way things have gone, there will be nothing left worth exporting.

Other countries have proved that milk and meat from vaccinated animals are in no way contaminated.

Had we had the vaccine and used it, this holocaust may well have been prevented. - Douglas Punchard, Kirkbymoorside.

I HAVE always believed that the awful needless slaughter of thousands of good, healthy cattle by the Government could have been avoided by the use of the vaccine.

I agree with Harry Mead that the people who should be blamed for this are the farmers' own leaders, who did not give the vaccine the chance to be used.

All this heartbreak could and should have been avoided.

Poor Nick Brown was ill-advised by men who should be taking the blame for this tragic culling which could so easily have been avoided. - F Wealands, Darlington.

LIFE AFTER DEATH

REFERRING to recent letters, as I see it, life after death is the life given to one's offspring at the time of conception and passed on by them to their children, grandchildren etc.

Sadly, if one has no offspring life comes to an end, though one's siblings, if any, may well perpetuate the family seed.

I myself have three generations of offspring totalling to date 22 individuals. - B Langford, Richmond.

SAMARITANS

WITH reference to the report (Echo, Jul 12) on the rise in the number of teenagers who consider suicide, the Samaritans offer confidential and emotional support to anyone who is feeling suicidal or despairing, regardless of age, 24 hours-a-day 365 days-a-year.

The telephone number for the Darlington branch is (01325) 465465, the centre is also open from 10am to 10pm daily for anyone who wants to call in for a talk. The address is 13 Woodland Road, Darlington. - Laura, Darlington.