letters

SO RP Bainbridge of Crook (HAS, July 21) thinks that what his late father's friend told him about miners was "rather apt". He said: "Miners who did not like hard work became union men and those who detested any kind of work became Labour councillors."

These words are a slur and an insult to the thousands of hard working ex-miners who were members of the National Union of Mineworkers and also to the many good workers I knew who went on to become Labour councillors. - JL Thompson, Crook.

BARNETT FORMULA

While acknowledging the efforts of some of the region's Labour MPs to raise the issue of how the Barnett Formula disadvantages the North-East, it is sad to see that Labour is still playing the old political game that has resulted in our region being left behind.

Ronnie Campbell, chair of the Northern Group of Labour MPs, is wrong to describe the Liberal Democrats as "Johnny-come-latelies", for demanding an end to the present Barnett Formula. Liberal Democrats have been at the forefront of this campaign for years. Not only have I raised it through the Northern Liberal Democrats and our national party over a period of years, but last year I produced a leaflet calling for a "Barnett Formula for the North-East".

I sent a copy of this to all our region's MPs, including Mr Campbell. Perhaps he has forgotten.

Rather than attempting to claim sole credit for speaking on behalf of the region, Labour MPs should realise that only by working together and speaking with one voice will the North-East gain its political objectives. The one party domination of our region by Labour has put us in the position we are in today. It will take more than one party to pull us out. - Councillor Chris Foote-Wood, President, Northern Region Liberal Democrats, Cockton Hill, Bishop Auckland.

WORLD POVERTY

THE world leaders who met at Yokahama, Japan, cannot resolve world poverty, or many of the other serious issues besetting us all. Debt could be cancelled at a stroke and the criterion of money relegated to history where it belongs.

That's not about to happen, of course, and the pretence of solutions will blunder on while politicians and many others continue to feast on the world's misery. The vulnerability of technologically-undeveloped populations has been exploited for centuries and debt is just another weapon in the long history of it.

Money stinks; but it has a fragrant aroma for far too many people who feel obliged to buy the allegiance of others rather than develop humane compassion.

Moral issues aside, there is no real physical scarcity any more in this technological world. It is a matter of distribution now, and the nature of monetary systems imposes severe restrictions on the distribution of abundance.

We have to understand this if ever we are going to tackle seriously the burgeoning problems of this modern world. There is a well-researched alternative, based upon energy - the true and scientific, measure of wealth - which would release a plethora of solutions to the present degradation of societies everywhere. - Maurice Jordan, Newton Aycliffe.

PARKING CHARGES

Darlington town centre traders are complaining about Safeway introducing car parking charges for those who stay over three hours (Echo, July 20).

I wholeheartedly agree with Safeway's decision but suggest it should be reduced to two hours.

For too long, shop and office workers have enjoyed free all-day parking while other motorists used the pay and display car parks.

Have you tried to find a car parking space when Darlington Football Club is playing at home? Have you tried leaving the car park at 5pm on weekdays after having done your shopping, only to find yourself in a queue of cars containing only the driver who is obviously not a store customer? Have you tried to park on a Saturday when the car park is heaving with town centre shoppers?

Well done Safeway, let's just hope that you do what you say. - David Duncan, Darlington.

THE QUAKERS

THERE have been many false dawns for Quakers' fans over the years. There is a familiar feeling that another is at hand.

Let's forget the new ground until we have a team that could fill it. The way forward for the club must be on the pitch.

Keep the millions for the ground and put some of it into a team that has an upward momentum. - Simon Drew, Hutton Magna.

SMOKING

IT IS long overdue that people who are being victimised because they smoke tobacco raise a vociferous protest against the persecution and corrupt extortion of money that happens in the anti-cigarette smoking cause.

Successive governments are using the so-called dangers of tobacco smoking to extract millions of pounds of taxation. For their generous contributions to the economy, the benefactors are rewarded by being made into pariahs.

It is wondered how many illnesses are being inflicted upon smokers, not by tobacco, but by the sacrificing of vital nutrition in foodstuffs, as the smoker is forced to pay crippling amounts of money for a packet of cigarettes and is therefore compelled to forsake other things - like food

Again and again, it smacks of government hitting the pockets of the poorer in society and begrudging working class people a bit of pleasure. - Bethany Megan Robinson, Darlington.