GH GRIEVESON may be correct in thinking that the Reverend Peter Mullen is sometimes winding us all up (HAS, May 4), but not with his latest column (Echo, also May 4) I feel.

“Now scythe away the bureaucrats” is eminently sensible. Indeed, I have read more than once recently a suggestion that someone like Tesco chief executive Sir Terence Leahy should be drafted into Whitehall to sort it out.

What a thought. Within four or five years he could reduce public spending by at least a third, without any reduction in frontline service levels or quality. This would allow Britain to start paying off its debts, as well as reducing taxes, which would boost the economy greatly.

So much so that the million or so people that would come off the public payroll once Sir Terry had got going would have little difficulty in finding gainful employment in the private sector.

I just hope someone asks him tomorrow, and that he says yes.

Derek Thornton, Stanley Crook, Co Durham.