Letters

THE John Prescott saga will, it seems, be made a meal of by the media and did, I suppose, put some spice into what was going to be a boring few days.

Whether John Prescott was right to retaliate is not the problem. It now seems certain that the so-called walkabouts are going to be a thing of the past and this is another sad day for democracy.

Yet it is foolish to kid ourselves that this is an isolated incident, because many universities who are supposed to give us the cream, have been resorting to thuggish behaviour when speakers and those they don't like wish to say their piece.

As for Glen Reynolds (Echo, May 18) and his sermon. He should consider the fact that to defend oneself is sometimes a necessity if freedom and the right to preach is to be upheld. It was pacifism that allowed Hitler and Stalin to make their mark and there were many courageous people who gave their lives in stopping them.

Those who turn the other cheek are those who let others do the dirty work for them.

As for John Prescott, I would suggest he get back into training because the punch was rather weak or he should leave such incidents to the professionals.

As for the lout who threw the egg, pigs in the sty have better manners. - John Young, Crook.

WASN'T it good of the nice Mr Blair to abolish charges for eye tests for the over 60s during his term of office? However, he's very quiet about the VAT to be imposed with effect from June 1.

This is in relation to the services provided by the optician and, in addition to the VAT already charged for the spectacles, I understand that this will result in an additional ten per cent on the total cost and will outweigh the saving on eye test charges.

We don't need spectacles to see through New Labour, do we? - AL Rowntree, Wigginton, York.

MANY people are disillusioned with the main political parties - they are all the same is the usual cry. Why bother to vote?

Simon Page's report (Echo, May 19) on the Green Party was interesting and informative. The main parties seem unable to grasp that green issues are equally, at least, as important as the usual tax and economics arguments. After all, whether one lives in a cottage or a palace, the air we breathe, the waters we use, the food we eat, the earth we grow food in are no use to anyone or anything if they are poisoned, polluted, contaminated or devastated as presently by bad farming practices and over use of possibly cancer and other disease-causing chemicals and drugs used in some farming and medical treatments.

Yes, we certainly need good economic policies and the Green Party has them too, but quality of life for humans, animals and the living world we all share is surely an essential aim for all politicians.

Please don't waste the power of your vote, vote Green Party if you can't trust the others. - EM Johnson, Crook.

IN the four years since the last General Election, we have seen transport climb the political agenda.

Roads congestion, rail problems, the fuel crisis, stowaways on trucks, foot-and-mouth - they have all raised the national awareness of just how very important transport is to us.

Sadly, despite all manner of investigations and reports, White Papers and Royal Commissions, theories, ideas and promises, transport is still the victim of high taxes and low spending.

UK transport suffers from premier league taxes coupled with third division investment. Industry has to pay a very high price for a low-grade product.

Things must change and the next Government - of whatever colour - must quickly move from planning to spending. If, in ten years time, we are to have a road and rail transport infrastructure fit to sustain the economy and protect the environment, then it must be paid for.

Increased transport investment has to be not just promised but delivered by the next Government. - Heather Crocker, Regional Director, Freight Transport Association.

AGE Concern urges older people to make full use of the new arrangements for postal and proxy voting.

Voters can now get a postal vote for the General Election on demand at any time up to 5pm on Tuesday, May 29 by asking at the Elections Office at their local town hall, or by filling in and sending the official forms which have been widely displayed in newspapers and on-line.

For older people who find it difficult or simply inconvenient to vote in person, the new postal voting arrangements should provide a safe and convenient way of voting.

Older voters are well advised to make their own applications for a postal vote rather than signing a form for someone else to complete.

If they still wish to use a proxy rather than a postal vote, they should make sure that the named proxy is someone they personally know and trust.

Age Concern is confident that older voters will take part in every aspect of the elections on June 7 which include many vital local contests.

There are great rewards for all the politicians, national and local, who listen and respond to their concerns. - Gordon Lishman, Director General, Age Concern, England.

AT the last General Election, Labour promised us better schools, safer communities, and reduced waiting times at hospitals.

Unfortunately, parents still cannot get their children in the school of their choice, patients are still waiting excessive long times at hospitals (and then is it safe to have an operation?) and policing is virtually non-existent in certain areas.

How marvellous it would be if we had a Government that really fulfilled their promises. Who can we trust? - D Burn, Bishop Auckland.