FLYING THE FLAG: AS one of the 84 per cent of the UK's citizens living in England, I find it regrettable that an English newspaper should publish such an anti-English article (Echo, Dec 1).

We do not know whether its author, Helen Cannam, is English or Scottish. Quite simply, she has not had the integrity to tell her readers.

She clearly implies opposing or criticising the EU somehow is not to be "passionately pro European" or even merely "pro European".

She is also guilty of double standards. Ms Cannam writes: "The French will always be French, the Germans, German. We will always be British; just as within the United Kingdom the Scots will always be Scottish, the Welsh, Welsh" but, apparently, she cannot bring herself to say "the English will always be English".

There's no question of the Scottish saltire or the Welsh dragon being set aside or taking second place to the EU flag, but Ms Cannam omits to mention this.

She also implies that if the EU flag is not flown (here I paraphrase her) "our representatives will not sit round a table, however tediously, however unproductively, and try to solve our problems by talking, but will shout from the sidelines with a stockpile of weapons at their elbows". How absurd.

I am surprised that The Northern Echo has seen fit to publish such low grade journalism. - A England, York.

Re: Is England a country? (Echo, Dec 1). The feature was disappointing, but also revealing.

The overall article was fluffy and vague, revealing a distinct lack of knowledge of the EU and its true agenda.

Acting as a member of the public, with the help of Neil Herron's People's Campaign, I found that Wear Valley District Council had no planning consent to fly the EU flag, and has now spent taxpayers' money in the hope of flying the EU flag. So, my objection is not just towards the EU, but the use of taxpayers' money that will now see the English flag removed in favour of the EU flag.

Perhaps Ms Cannam can explain the following comment from her article: "We will always be British; just as within the United Kingdom the Scots will always be Scottish, the Welsh, Welsh - and the people of the North-East, North-Easterners, shouting loudly for their region."

We have to be proud of the region whilst every other nation is allowed to be proud of their nation.

Can Ms Cannam explain why she refrained from mentioning the word England, which happens to be the country in which the North-East resides? - Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland Conservatives.

It may have escaped Helen Cannam's attention, but the Scots fly the Scottish saltire over government buildings and, likewise, the Welsh fly the Welsh dragon. Maybe the English should adopt the St George's Cross instead of the Union Jack or the EU flag.

I don't know whether Helen is Scottish, but she sounds like a true Scot when talking about English regions. Compare her remarks about the North-East with those made by two assuredly Scots persons. The late Robin Cook uttered on the World At One programme: "England isn't a nation, it's only a collection of regions". Charles Kennedy, to Scottish Liberals, said: "Scotland has a parliament. Wales an assembly. In England regionalism is growing as never before, calling into question the idea of England itself." No doubting then, that regionalists want to eradicate England.

A more important quote comes from the English people, especially those who voted No to regions in the referendum of November 2004, and it is this: "There is only one English region - it is called England."

The only way the English people will get rid of hated regional assemblies is replacing them with an English Parliament, like that the Scots enjoy. - Stephen Gash, Carlisle.

AS a veteran of the Second World War, I would like to ask Helen Cannam where she thinks the freedom she enjoys today came from.

I didn't give more than six years of my life, six years of my marriage and almost six of my first born's life for the Britain it has become because of the woolly thinking of people like her. - Doug Jacques, New South Wales, Australia.

HELEN Cannam gave the game away in her coded advertisement for unelected regional assemblies when she said: "Scots will always be Scottish, the Welsh, Welsh - and the people of the North-East, North-Easterners, shouting loudly for their region".

What happened to the English? Couple this with the struggle between England's flag and the EU flag at Wear Valley Council and an anti English tirade from Terry White (resigned) New Labour communications officer, it must be quite plain to one and all that like Charles Kennedy, New Labour and the Lib/Dems don't like the idea of England.

They have changed the argument from Britain in Europe to one of England not being invited into Europe unless it's carved up.

In a survey of why people voted the way they did after the North-East referendum, many people stated they did not like the idea of a divided England.

Unless this Government deals fairly with England, it will be England that brings it down.

If Tony Blair wishes to leave a legacy to the United Kingdom, I suggest an English Parliament situated wherever the English want it to be. - K Young, Darlington.

HELEN Cannam is not neutral in her position on Europe - she is unashamedly pro Europe. What Helen failed to focus on (and why the majority of people are not proud to fly the EU flag) is that it is starting to represent all the things the previous generation feared from Europe.

Having grown to such an enormous size, without proper thought of the implications, we can now see how destructive it is becoming.

It has grown into a remote unaccountable administrative juggernaut that forces a "one size fits all" approach on policy making across all countries, whether or not these policies are appropriate.

Despite what Helen says, it still protects the sectional interests of individual nations, the latest example over the EU rebate clearly demonstrates that countries like France will continue to make no concessions, whilst countries like Britain will continue to pay for them.

Countries are attracted to the EU concept for "handouts" and vast funds to repair the damage and decay caused by failed communism. This is nothing more than a process of "redistribution of wealth" and Britain is one of the main countries paying for it.

There is no democracy in the EU, voters are rarely consulted on key matters. Britain has had to give her sovereignty away to the EU, offending against all our ancient laws and rights and the people have never given their permission for this.

The people of Britain have no faith in the project because it is undemocratic and unaccountable and it is for this reason we are not proud to fly its flag as it offends against our traditions of democracy. - Christine Constable, Director, English Lobby.