Letters

IN English politics there are no credible statesmen. There is a high percentage of non-Englishmen in government and young men are sadly falling behind young women in every way.

Sharon Griffiths (Echo, Mar 14) pointed out that men need a male role model. What a pity a woman has to draw this to the attention of the modern Englishman!

In football, it's no wonder an English manager could not be found for the national football team. At present Leeds, Liverpool, Arsenal and Man United are still in European football competitions but none of these English clubs are managed by an Englishmen.

Since they are the best teams in England, then there is little hope of a national English manager ever emerging.

There is also little hope of an English national team emerging since most of the players in these teams are foreigners.

In fact, it's doubtful if one football squad could be formed from the English players who play for these clubs.

The Government's policies of housing and financing young women to live on their own with their babies, does not help. - H Ballantyne, Newton Aycliffe.

MISSILE DEFENCE

SINCE the Government is committed to retaining nuclear weapons and will almost certainly bend to US demands to use Fylingdales for their National Missile Defence System, Teesside Green Party challenges all local MPs to clarify their position before the General Election.

This is necessary because some MPs have both supported Government policy and asserted their opposition to weapons of mass destruction through membership of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Teesside Green Party deplores this hypocrisy. We believe that the electorate has a right to make an informed choice on the nuclear issue and in particular on US plans for Fylingdales. No one can have a dispute with this fundamental principle of democracy. We therefore challenge them to make a public declaration, placing on record where their support lies. Do they support Government policy, or the campaign for nuclear disarmament? They cannot have it both ways. - Bill Wennington, Prospective Parliamentary Green Party Candidate for Stockton North.

DISABILITIES

I AM a lucky man. Fortunately, I have never experienced the ignorance nor the humiliation of discrimination because of my disabilities and the way I look. But sadly, I know of instances where people who, because of their disabilities, are discriminated against in performing everyday tasks; from shopping to dining out. I believe that everyone should have the same rights, regardless of how different we are from one another.

But discrimination isn't something that disabled people just have to put up with. The Disability Rights Commission is launching the Disability Conciliation Service (DCS) to help ensure that disabled people everywhere get treated fairly. The DCS can help resolve discrimination issues without anyone having to go to court. Disabled readers, or friends or family members of disabled people, can call the Disability Rights Commission helpline on 08457 622 633.

One in seven people in the UK are disabled and they spend £40bn a year. That's an awful lot of custom to turn away. So, come on you business people, give the helpline a ring and find out how you can make it easier for disabled people to spend, deal and work with you. - Simon Weston OBE, Disability Rights Commission.

CHRISTIAN TEACHING

IF Willis Collinson (HAS, Feb 21) cares to get in touch with me, I will send him gratis a copy of my recent booklet, A Human Peace, which contains material contradicting Peter Mullen's views on violence, and includes brief accounts of three Christians, viz. Fraz Jagerstatter/Dietrich Bonhoeffer/Martin Luther King, who in different ways opposed violence as being contrary to the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Any of your readers who are interested in the subject may have a copy of the booklet for £1 inclusive of postage. - Rev John Stephenson, 29 Launceston Drive, East Herrington, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear, SR3 3QB.

COUNCIL SPENDING

ONCE again, Labour-controlled Sedgefield District Council has set the council rate well in excess of inflation and wage settlements. When questioned on this by Liberal Democrats, the council's Labour leader suggested that the Liberal Democrats would make cuts.

This is untrue, as Liberal Democrats would always maintain services and have shown this when opposing Labour plans to reduce spending on Carelink.

I am afraid, however, that the Labour council equates more services with automatic increases and does not understand that savings through improved management systems can generate the finance for better services. - K Thompson, Spennymoor Liberal Democrats.

COUNCIL POLL

RESPONDING to complaints from members of the electorate who have not received questionnaire papers in the consultation exercise on the restructuring of local government, Sedgefield Borough Council blames failure to deliver, by the private contractors used, as the cause.

In terms of cost effectiveness and increasing local democracy, which is what were told the exercise intended, why could the papers not have been included with council tax demands and delivered by the Royal Mail to every household in the borough. - A Kelly, Ferryhill.

Darlington FC

I WONDER how many have an FA qualification at Darlington FC, which is needed from the manager down to be a successful club.

The new stadium will never be a sell-out from football. Maybe pop groups and other sources will reap the rewards for the football club to benefit and make Mr Reynolds more prosperous, which he will deserve if he succeeds with his plan for the future of the Quakers. - N Tate, Darlington.