JOHN Hoodless writes (HAS, May 31) that everyone should go back to their country of origin. No ifs, no buts. A simple equation - born in Poland, back to Poland; born in Iraq, back to Iraq, etc.

This would be of great benefit to the Brits living overseas. Brits living in Spain or France would return to Britain; those living in Oz or Kiwiland, back to Britain; those living in the US or Canada, back to Britain.

It is all so obvious and beneficial to us all. The overseas Brits will be just as pleased to be sent to the country they know and love as the Poles and Iraqis will be to return to their origins.

There are a few problems to sort out. How many generations back do you go before you qualify for repatriation? Are children to be sent to the country of their parents' birth? Are wives to be sent to the country of their husband's birth?

What if people who have lived in a country for 50 years object to being sent to where they were born?

I dare say Mr Hoodless easily answers these questions, or perhaps he is very naive?

Peter Wilson, Barnard Castle, Co Durham.

JOHN Hoodless (HAS, May 31) suggests that foreign nationals living in Britain who are proud of their national identity should get back to their own countries.

I wonder if he would apply the same rule to the 5.5 million British people who now live abroad?

Another British national emigrates every three minutes.

People have migrated around the globe since prehistory. Why on earth shouldn't they?

Pete Winstanley, Durham.