THE Scottish Prime Minster has announced that the Government will be selling £16bn worth of assets to try and plug the gaping hole in the budget.

Among them are the English Channel Tunnel rail link, the English Dartford Crossing, its stake in the English enriched uranium company Urenco, and some assets of English local authorities. Does one smell a rat here? Only England is being sold off.

Surely our Scottish Prime Minister would not sell our English silver to pay for Scottish bank bail-outs because, since devolution, he can not touch any Scottish silver (even if he wanted to).

The Labour Government has another nine months before the sale of England ends. Its motto should be: “Sale ends soon. Get it before it’s gone.”

Eleanor Justice, Gateshead.

GORDON Brown has announced plans for a mass sell-off of state assets. This will include the Tote, Dartford crossing, the student loan book, the Channel Tunnel rail link and the Government’s stake in Urenco, which operates uranium enrichment plants. The Government predicts this will raise about £16bn.

The budget deficit in August this year was £16.1bn. So Mr Brown, what’s the plan for September?

James Wharton, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Stockton South.