AT long last, our beleagured MPs have found a way to cheer us all up in these difficult times – they are adding a week to their summer holiday (Echo, April 21).

This gives us seven days less for them to do further damage to our already ailing economy.

Perhaps they should consider increasing their break to 52 weeks and give the country a real chance to recover.

Considering that most “important” legislation has been gifted to Brussels, why do we still need 600-odd MPs anyway?

We are already top heavy with local government legislators to say nothing of the Scottish, Welsh and Irish assemblies.

So, come on, Gordon Brown.

Grasp the nettle. You say that we need to make cuts and increase efficiency; how about starting with a cull of MPs now that they are redundant anyway.

Wally Walker, Great Smeaton, Northallerton, North Yorkshire.