THE COLLIERIES

IN reply to Gordon Hodgson (HAS, July 6), can I point out that during Labour's reign in the late 1960s, West Durham was completely decimated, with over 50 collieries closed in that area alone and villages left to die. No Enterprise Zones or government help here.

A big thank you to Harold Wilson and Lord Robens. Not a whisper said in anger.

Compare this to 1972-4, when good mining families were conned and used as the battering ram to bring down the Heath government.

I was walked down to the school with my friends for the free meals, while our families sat at home and pondered over their future.

The same in 1984-5. Then working in another part of Britain, I sent money home to keep heads above water. It was the burden of keeping the North Sea at bay, and not Margaret Thatcher, that closed the coastal collieries. - Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland.

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

THERE are currently concerted efforts by business interests, local councils and leading newspapers to create the illusion of popular demand for a regional assembly in the North-East.

In due course, we will be offered a referendum on this subject; and the overwhelming boredom inspired among normal people by the excess of government to which we are already being subjected could mean that the proposal is carried by a narrow majority on an exceedingly low turnout.

Regional assemblies are unnecessary and costly and will add to the power of Brussels at the expense of our own Parliament. They will also contribute to the disintegration of our once-united kingdom by encouraging rivalry and ill-will among those who compete for a share of British taxpayers' money.

If there are to be referenda seeking to set up more layers of cash-hungry politicians and administrators, no changes should be made without the enthusiastic endorsement of a large majority (say, 70 per cent) of those eligible to vote. - Gillian Swanson, Whitley Bay.

RECESSION

THE country is on the brink of a major recession and it's there for everyone to see.

Company advertising budgets slashed, lenders desperately to lend, mortgages low, yet house prices still increasing. Supermarkets fighting each other for your business; Psion, Marconi, Motorola, it goes on.

But don't worry, it's only under the Tories you get boom and bust. Wrong.

Tony Blair and Gordon Brown won't tell you and the writing was on the wall before the election, but hidden away. Mr Blair and Mr Brown don't want the truth to come out, yet their own MPs can't stand them now.

So, tighten your belts, get your investments secured and just watch how honest Tony and Gordon try to find someone to blame this on. - Jon Barron, Darlington.

FISHING LIMITS

SO the somewhat subdued 2001 election is over.

Where was the excitement of our wished-for Labour win? Was there a cloud over the whole procedure, and in people's minds was that cloud the thought of having our pound replaced by the euro?

Remember politicians sold us down the river, or rather the sea, when they gave up most of our fishing industry without discussing what they were about to do with the British people.

These waters are no longer our own. They were conceded by our countrymen who went to fight our corner.

Now Spain, backed by the Greeks, French, Italians and the Portuguese, is trying to steal our six and 12-mile sea limits, something they must not be allowed to do.

Our Government must say no and mean it. If it allows Spain and the other nations to take over the sea limits, Labour will be adversely remembered by present and future generations.

We will have to say no to Europe sometime, let it be now then we can call ourselves True Labour instead of New Labour. - DA Patton, Ferryhill.

CANNABIS

NO sooner is the General Election over than Labour activists start agitating for the legalisation of recreational cannabis use. Does anyone really support these madmen?

The Left should exercise more caution when condoning lethal narcotics. Personally, I think cannabis is just as evil as heroin. I mean, it's wrecked almost as many lives.

The time has come to end this talk of decriminalising hard drugs. Where would we be if thousands started turning up for work high on cannabis? What happened to the fight to remove narcotics from our society? - Aled Jones, Bridlington.

CHANGING NAMES

HOW gracious of regular correspondent, the self-styled young scallywag, Andrew Lightfoot, to inform the country at large of his change of name by Deed Poll (Echo, July 9).

Now all we need is a change in some of his more bizarre pontifications. After all, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. - William Nicholson, Shildon.

THE EURO

THE Government is right to ignore calls by Hugh Morgan Williams to lead a campaign for early entry into the euro (HAS, June 26).

Barclays Capital recently assessed Gordon Brown's five economic tests and its conclusion is that the economic conditions will not be right for Britain to join the euro for at least the lifetime of this parliament.

The British economy differs from the Eurozone in a number of important ways. We have a larger service sector; a smaller agricultural sector; we are a net exporter of oil and we have far stronger trading and investment links with the rest of the world.

These differences mean that changes in the global economy affect us more than other Eurozone members and, in order to do what is right for Britain, we need to keep the pound and keep control of our economy.

Britain has prospered outside the Eurozone with the lowest unemployment for 25 years - half the level in the Eurozone.

If we follow the advice of Mr Morgan Williams, Britain risks undermining that success and returning to the boom and bust cycles of the past. - John Elliott, Chairman, Business for Sterling North East.