Letters

AS a non-believer and as an ex-servicemen who lived through those days, I am grateful to your correspondent, EA Moralee, for educating me on the matter of the Dunkirk debacle of 1940.

So they were all saved by the power of prayer! I had previously foolishly assumed that the remnants of the BEF who got back to England owed their lives or freedom to the many brave sailors who crossed the Channel in small boats that could reach the beaches.

Sadly, of course, some did not make it back - I can only assume they did not pray hard enough - God was not listening that day. Maybe God was only taking calls from Germany that day.

Like TV, polio, cholera, smallpox and other diseases that have plagued mankind in the past, foot-and-mouth will only be conquered by the application of the scientific method. I doubt if praying will help. - Willis Collinson, Durham City.

FREE SPEECH

JASON Bradley (HAS, Apr 10) condemns Peter Mullen as a very poor writer, not up to the standard required by The Northern Echo.

I think he is a great writer. I eagerly await his column, and that of Harry Mead.

They speak their mind, and don't pander to the crowd. Free speech is being murdered in England. Without guys like these, it will die.

He accuses Peter Mullen of being a Tory. He is not as far right as Tony Blair, I assure you. I didn't hear Mr Blair and his friends speaking up when a Sunderland trader was fined for selling bananas by the pound. Peter Mullen I rate with the top writers of today, like Simon Heffer of The Mail and Peter Hitchens of The Mail on Sunday.

They are not afraid in a world of "politically correct" cowardice. - J Ross, Rowlands Gill.

I WOULD hate to have to describe The Northern Echo as "this once great newspaper", but I do detect a slight drop in standards of late and I certainly agree with the correspondent who describes Peter Mullen as a very poor writer.

For instance, Mr Mullen's column (Echo, Apr 10), So what has Sophie done wrong then?

If he does not know what she has done wrong, then he must be the only person in Great Britain who does not and if, in his opinion, she has not done anything wrong, why has she resigned as chairman or RJH?

Then he jumps on his usual political bandwagon. Sophie's troubles are all the fault of republican newspaper editors. The guttersnipe journalist he condemns actually writes for a Tory supporting newspaper.

Why on earth is a clergyman writing a political column? Shouldn't he be writing about ecclesiastical affairs, rather than a weekly diatribe against Tony Blair? Even though the Prime Minister constantly announces his support of the monarchy, Mr Mullen just as constantly accuses him of attempting to abolish the monarchy. Mind you, if we have a spell of bad weather, Peter Mullen says it is Tony Blair's fault.

After all that, I still think that you employ some very good journalists. Best of luck to you all. - S Gerrard, Peterlee.

TONY BLAIR

I READ with interest in the Editorial Comment (Echo, Apr 2) that the people of Sedgefield constituency "are still ultra-loyal to their Prime Minister". Oh really.

You know, had this statement been printed a day earlier, I'd swear you were trying to make April Fools out of us.

Nearly everyone I speak to, including Labour members past and present, are both disillusioned and heartily sickened by their Prime Minister. Right from the very start of office, this southern dandy has not only misrepresented his own constituency, but bolted like a frightened rabbit away from real issues such as factory closures and, in so doing so, has denied our very existence when we need representation most. Instead of using his massive influence to save us from economic damnation, he instead re-surfaces with his silly grin when a spot of good news comes around the corner - in London! - A Fowler, Ferryhill.

CARE HOMES

I HAVE been very pleased to read coverage of the dilemma which will be caused by the closure of care homes.

I wrote to my MP at Westminster on February 2 regarding the new Government regulations which Darlington Borough Council says are forcing it to close its old people's homes.

I have not received a reply, so does Alan Milburn not wish to comment on the matter?

It is not what we were promised and it seems incredible that this could happen under a Labour-controlled council during the term of a Labour Government. - M Howe, Darlington.

DARLINGTON FC

I AGREE with David Preston (HAS, Apr 3) that George Reynolds is the man who saved the Quakers from going out of league football with his financial backing, ie two days from us being gone forever.

I realise that, recently, we have been a struggling side, but I think our move to a new ground will, I hope, be a good lift-off to better things for our supporters.

As a supporter for many years and unable to climb stairs, I do appreciate the idea of putting in escalators. Thanks for the ride, George. As I keep telling people every day, you don't become a multi-millionaire running in blinkers and our new ground will be one big attraction, apart from the football side of it. - F Wealands, Darlington.

COUNCIL TAX

OFFICIAL figures published by the DETR prove that the council tax is lower under Conservative-controlled councils. The average household pays £88-a-year more on a Band D council tax bill under a Labour council and £63-a-year more under a Lib Dem council, compared to a Conservative-run council.

Council tax nationally has soared because of the Government's refusal to adequately fund council services. This is the ultimate stealth tax hike - local residents foot the bill and local councillors take the blame.

Despite Labour's incompetence, Conservative-run North Yorkshire County Council remains one of the lowest-charging shire counties. - David Ashton, North Yorkshire County Council, Northallerton.