PETER MANDELSON: NO-ONE can doubt Peter Mandelson's skill at the "black arts" of politics. It is the very reason he is hated by so many people, especially in his own party. I think he will be in his element and successful as a European Commissioner.

I am much more worried that the Prime Minister could have chosen anyone, even me, for this job, and no-one in this country could have challenged him.

This lack of Parliamentary scrutiny and accountability is frightening. Such absolute power concentrated in the hands of a single person must be deeply corrupting.

It is in startling contrast to the US, where power is deliberately divided between the Executive President, (Prime Minister), Congressional Legislature (Parliament) and Supreme Court (Judiciary).

I'd like to see the UK follow the US example in having a written constitution. Interestingly, the US could only go to war against Iraq with Congressional approval expressed in a vote. The UK only needed the Prime Minister's nod. - Stuart Hill, Darlington.

THOSE interested in international politics may recall that when Malenkov was removed from the leadership of the Soviet Union to be replaced by Kruschev, he was got out of Moscow by sending him to manage a power station in Outer Mongolia.

His un-loving Labour party colleagues may find it a consolation that Mr Mandelson's new appointment is a next best equivalent. - Councillor Arthur Preece (LibDem), Hartlepool.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

THAT the North-East is still to have a referendum on November 4 is good news. The publication of the draft Bill has given significant new powers to the assembly if there is a yes vote. Powers over skills, learning, transport, job creation, housing and services for small businesses have all been increased.

There will also be wide-ranging brief to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of the region.

It certainly makes a refreshing change to see the North-East leading the way! It is to be hoped that the people of the region grasp the opportunity with a resounding yes vote. - Peter Sagar, Heaton, Newcastle.

WHATEVER the result of the referendum, the historic ceremonial office of Mayor of Durham will continue, although it might become associated with a body having much less power than the present City of Durham Council. I believe it would still be based in the Town Hall, which is very far from being suitable for use by any new regional assembly (Echo, July 15). - Councillor Mary Hawgood, Mayor of Durham.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

THE new chairman of Cleveland Police Authority, Ted Cox, has stated his priorities for policing; burglary, drugs, anti-social behaviour and kerb-crawling. These crimes make people's lives unbearable and the police and the authority are right to give them high profile.

However, there is another crime that should be given priority. Domestic violence makes women and children's lives unbearable. 97 per cent of sufferers of this abuse are female. Every week two women are killed by a present or past partner.

Children suffer the distress of witnessing this violence. Every year 30,000 children flee their homes along with their mothers.

The Government is bringing in legislation to tackle domestic violence. The police, often the first to be called to a scene, seem not always to deal with matters adequately, let alone well.

I challenge both Ted Cox and Chief Constable Sean Price: improve the lives of these women and children, allocate resources and set yourselves targets to reduce the incidence. Make this a priority. - Valerie Halton, Lead member for Children's Services, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Guisborough.

IRAQ

TONY Blair echoed Margaret Thatcher in his glorification of war when he called upon Parliament to "rejoice" over Iraq. I, for one, will not.

So far 60 British soldiers have died and over 2,200 have been injured, as well as nearly 1,000 American dead. These figures are dwarfed by the Iraqi dead: 20,000, of whom two thirds were civilians.

Iraq, which once had quite a good infrastructure, has fallen apart and is now in a state of anarchy, with kidnappings, rape and other forms of lawlessness rife throughout the nation. Meanwhile, there is insurrection from Basra in the south to Kirkut in the north, with a clear majority of Iraqis seeing Britain and the US as illegal occupiers.

Mr Blair lied in order to promote this war because he hoped to bask in the glory of victory. It is time this fanatic is thrown out before more lives are lost. - Joanna Gilmore, Bishop Auckland.

METRIC

EA Moralee (HAS, July 23) assumes that metrication has been forced upon us by the European Union. That assumption is incorrect.

Early in the 20th century, many countries were advocating the adoption of a worldwide unified system of measurement to benefit industry, commerce and science. The International Organization for Standardization was formed and the SI (Systeme Internationale) units of measurement was introduced. Britain was, and still is, a leading country in this organisation.

Thomas Stobbs' 1920 book entitled Wire and Sheet Gauge Tables, with which I am sure many people are familiar, says: "As the metric system is coming more into use in England, I have selected the tenths and hundreds of a millimetre as units, giving the equivalents in the decimals on an inch."

Incidentally, the beloved English mile was originally metric, (Roman, 1,000 paces, two strides per pace), until we altered it to 1,760 yards! - E Woodley, Billingham.

UKIP

GODFREY Bloom, UK Independence Party MEP, has taken an anti-feminist stance with his remarks about women cleaning behind the fridge (Echo, July 22).

Voters take warning! Like me, you may be Eurosceptic but you must ask, 'What else will I be voting for if I vote Ukip?' It isn't a single issue party at all. It is an extremist group with a right wing agenda.

Unsurprisingly. Mr Bloom suggests an American idea to weaken female employment protection rights. Ukip isn't about preserving the British way. It's anti-Europeanism stems instead from its desire to remould the UK on the American neo-conservative model.

I really do want an independent Britain and that's why I won't ever be voting Ukip. - VE Wood, Redcar.

ROBERT Kilroy-Silk is thinking of standing for Ukip in Hartlepool (Echo, July 24). But hang on: wasn't he elected last month as an MEP for the East Midlands?

Residents in that area can't be too happy that someone they elected to represent their interests in the European Parliament is thinking about ditching them a few weeks later!

And what about the local candidates for Ukip in this region? Are they happy at the prospect of the party parachuting in a celebrity who has no discernible connection with Hartlepool or this region?

Kilroy-Silk should stick to his current job. If Ukip wants to fight in the by-election, I'm sure they have plenty of able local candidates. - John Bourn, Gateshead.