JOHN Monks, General Secretary of the TUC, has called on the Bank of England to cut interest rates "as a timely insurance against the world economic position worsening".

Whilst the merits, or otherwise, of such a demand can be argued, it shouldn't allow rhetoric and reality to be clouded.

The important factor to be considered is that the Bank of England has that power to take decisions on our domestic interest rates, and the elected government controls all other matters of fiscal and monetary policy.

If interest rates need to be adjusted to stimulate growth or cool inflationary pressures the Bank has that freedom to act.

Hold on though, John Monks is a fanatical Europhile and is constantly extolling the "virtues" of the European single currency, making his pleas for intervention as hollow as they are hypocritical. Why? Because if Britain were foolish enough to adopt the single currency, all decisions affecting our economy would be taken from us as a nation and would pass to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt.

There would be no point in asking the Bank of England to increase or decrease interest rates, it would be powerless to act.

The 11 nations that adopted the euro are now governed by a "one size fits all" interest rate. These nation states can no longer take economic decisions in their own interests. If a nation loses its economic power it has lost its political authority. - D Pascoe, Press Secretary Hartlepool Branch UK Independence Party.

UNITED STATES

ENGLAND beware. The big question is whether President George Bush is just another warmonger, but unwilling to fight on his own.

Tony Blair must ask himself whether America would have joined Britain in the war against Germany if Japan hadn't attacked Pearl Harbour?

The only help Britain got from America was 40 broken down destroyers while we were on our own against Germany.

Remember, George Bush is president of America, not Great Britain. - A Pyle, Kelloe.

I RECENTLY wrote a letter to the American Ambassador in London. I sent it first class mail and "recorded delivery".

After about four weeks, having received no reply or acknowledgement, I telephoned the Embassy.

A pre-recorded message informed me that unless I had enclosed a "stamped addressed envelope" with my letter, I would not get a reply.

Such is the generosity of the richest nation in the world.- AE Carr, Middleton St George.

DURHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

KEN Manton (HAS Aug 6) makes a blatant attempt to rubbish my comments.

I said I would meet at the Conservative office or a neutral venue. Mr Manton chose not to mention "neutral venue".

Mr Manton then states that I would personally invite 20 people of my choice. In fact, what I said was, I would invite The Northern Echo and the very people who are complaining. Why invite folk with nothing to contribute?

Mr Manton says that sending advanced questions is the approach used by the Prime Minister. I believe Tony Blair dropped one session of Question Time and then reduced the amount of questions at the remaining session. He then all but admits that politicians use advance time to get glossy answers, but sadly not the truth.

So, Mr Manton, given you had nothing else to offer, your point is?- J Tague, Chairman Bishop Auckland Branch Conservative Party.

I HAVE just read Ken Manton's resposnse (HAS, Aug 6) to Jim Tague... What a load of rubbish.

By his reckoning, any person hauled into a police station or court should be given the questions they are to be asked two days in advance. The whole idea of this random questioning is to put someone on the spot, like most good journalists do. Also, the questions that matter most would come from opposite political sides.

There are quite a few pubs in Bishop Auckland that have the facilities to hold such an event.

I myself would love to attend but not if the answers are already worked out to please the council leader. What's the point? - A McKimm, Crook.

BROWNFIELD SITES

THE Government's policy on regeneration is to build on brownfield sites - former areas of housing or industry.

If this is the case, Greater Eston is a prime case for redevelopment.

The Government and its agency One NorthEast may need to be reminded of Greater Eston's case for redevelopment, a reminder of the contribution the area and its people made to the advancement of the nation.

To this end a group of people in South Bank are setting up a history group to study the economic and social history of South Bank and district. In doing so, it hopes to promote the area for redevelopment.

On South Bank's 150th anniversary, in 2004, it hopes to present publications and displays relating to the achievements of the district.

I, like many others living in the Greater Eston area, have my roots in South Bank. I served my time at Smith's Dock in a shipyard that was the pride of the Eston Urban District.

Its workforce, mainly from the district, built ships, oil rigs etc, that could match any shipbuilding yard in the world. Therefore, I am joining this historic venture in its bid to put South Bank and District back on the map. - Councillor John Simms.