LISTENING to Gordon Brown on BBC1's Sunday AM programme was interesting. It is early days, but he spoke of a plan which starts to deal with important issues which have arisen over recent years.

If he is able to involve all levels of the nation more closely, while keeping a watchful eye on intermediate goals and using the most able people, it will show results. It works in all other areas of our activity and will also work for GB Ltd, based on greater pride.

His full range of skills have been obscured in his present job. On what I have seen he can be relied on to carry through anything he commits to.

He lacks the flashing white smile, but that can sometimes be misleading. He will not seek the celebrity-type popularity which some do, and much of what he does will be seen through the actions of his team, for better or for worse.

I think he will not be easily swayed from his claimed vision of a new role for a strong, new GB in the world, built from within our own boundaries. By giving tasks to the most able people, he is moving a little way towards government by agreement.

George Appleby, Clifton, York.

AS we say "good riddance" to Bambi Blair, it seems we must now welcome in Thumper Brown.

If the melodramatic swansong of Mr Blair wasn't bad enough, we now have to endure weeks of Mr Brown sucking on lemons in his attempts to smile.

As Mr Brown made his bid to capture the public eye on television (from behind an autocue screen) he set out his stall for honesty.

In that case, Mr Brown, why don't you reveal how much money you've already raided from British earners, savers, homeowners, and pensioners, and how much you intend to take before you get kicked out at the next General Election.

Alexander D Mortimer, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees.