RE your story about businessman and TV personality Sir Alan Sugar calling on firms to employ apprentices during his visit to Gateshead (Echo, June 10).

Sir Alan claims he does not have any political allegiance to any party – as he accepts Gordon Brown’s offer to be a government advisor to encourage investment in British industry (another socalled tsar) and a life peerage.

Come off it, Sir Alan, accepting a Labour peerage automatically compromises your political neutrality.

I have always found it difficult to understand why anyone who claims to believe in democracy can support an institution such as the House of Lords, whose members have not been elected by anyone.

In today’s multicultural society, we certainly do not need 26 Church of England bishops sitting in the House of Lords.

More than three years ago the House of Commons voted for a totally-elected House of Lords, yet we are no closer to accomplishing this.

What we need is abolition, not reformation, of the House of Lords – and the sooner the better.

Keith Dewison, Billingham.