25/05/06

Sentences rarely reflect the suffering of victims, or the pain and distress of loved ones. Too often the defence of offenders is that a lengthy prison sentence will counter progress in rehabilitation. There is also the argument that perpetrators are victims themselves. It is true that in a democratic society there must be ways of changing behaviour and in so doing trying to reduce, if not eradicate, crimes of this kind.

But so often the callous acts inflicted by those who seek fairness in their treatment by the law cannot be tolerated. Sympathies must go to the victim. There have been renewed calls for police to be armed, but I don't feel this would address the issue. What is important is that the police are given support in ensuring communities feel safe.

There is a compelling argument that in some circumstances the return of the death penalty might be justified. But what is paramount is that the sentences given out by the judiciary match the crime and a life sentence, where appropriate, must be exactly that. - Bernie Walsh, Coxhoe.

EU MEMBERSHIP

THE godfathers of the EU have informed the governments of Romania and Bulgaria that a decision on the date of their accession to the EU (either January 2007 or January 2008) will be deferred until October 2006. The reason is seemingly the "concern" of our EU masters that the entrenched culture of corruption and organised crime in those countries deems them currently unsuitable.

They have been told to eradicate these traits and reverse the social moves of centuries in seven months - such is the idiocy of the EU that they seriously expect anyone with any political nous to swallow this bilge.

Quite why countries of eastern Europe, recently freed from the tyranny of Communism, should leap into another system of bondage escapes me.

I'll guarantee they will be admitted in 2007 and thanks to the open borders policy of Tony Blair we will experience the joys of Romanian and Bulgarian organised crime syndicates and hordes of gipsies begging on our streets.

As an added bonus, because they will be EU citizens, even those caught and convicted of crimes cannot be deported - thanks to EU laws over which we have no input or right of veto.

Still think it's a good idea to remain a member of the EU? -

Dave Pascoe, Press Secretary, Hartlepool Branch, UK Independence Party.

BLEAK FUTURE

PAUL Rivers talks about what will happen if the Tories win the next General Election (HAS, May 20). He says the North-South divide will return. It's here and always has been, so a change of government won't remove it.

The 1997 elections didn't put in place a socialist government. It brought in a more moderate form of right-wing politics which not only kept the divide but reinforced it as seen by the growth of so-called jobs, call centre and service industry, in the South while here in the North our traditional industries have all but gone.

So too most long-term Labour Party MPs who now reside in the House of Lords and in doing so let their safe Labour seats go to chosen Blairites, thus further removing socialism from the North-East.

With Tony Blair stating that he will not stand for Parliament after this term in office finishes, by his actions he is making sure that the proper Conservatives are returned to power after he has gone. The downward slide of the NHS and the policies of privatisation will continue under this or any other right-wing government so the future of the North-East will be just as bleak then as it is now. - Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe.

CHARITABLE GIVING

TONY Blair is now calling for charitable giving to be increased, and for people to donate a proportion of their income to good causes (Echo, May 20).

It is well known that on average, poorer people donate a greater proportion of their income to charity than do rich ones. If we all agreed to donate one per cent to charity, what chance is there of the £100,000-a-week footballer donating £1,000 a week?

The richer the person, the more determined they seem to hold on to every last penny by any legal means, through offshore trusts or by living abroad.

Think of how often one reads of financiers based in Monaco or elsewhere, or how those whose assets, such as the late Robert Maxwell, involve a string of companies, with convoluted cross-ownership all ultimately owned by a private company in an offshore tax haven. - Eric Gendle, Nunthorpe,

I AM convinced that Tony Blair has totally flipped after reading the story, Blair wants more to donate cash (Echo, May 20).

I was speechless. Well, not really, but the words were not repeatable. How dare he suggest that people give a percentage of their pay to charities. We all already donate what we can in our own way to the charities we choose to support.

It seems that the rumours are correct and this country is coming under dictatorship. His call seems crazy when people are struggling to pay their way, some without jobs, and trying to save for their future as none of us even know if we will have a pension when we retire. Not all of us have two and three homes here and abroad, flash cars and oh yes, helicopters which must cost us the taxpayer a fortune to run.

Why doesn't Mr Blair and his hangers-on give up their spare homes to charities, and save us all a fortune. Do I hear the call, Out Blair, Out! - Enid Slater, Trimdon Village

NUCLEAR ENERGY

I REMEMBER that in the late 1970s King Coal had a long-term future. Yet successive Tory and Labour governments closed the coal mines.

Common sense would have suggested that we would need a long-term energy strategy. Phasing out nuclear power stations and providing alternative energy supplies, whether North Sea oil, gas and electricity or wind power combined with the retention of the most economic pits, could have provided long-term stability for both for industry and home owners.We read that we have to pay inflated prices for our gas supplies from Europe, the pits have closed and suddenly the nuclear debate has reemerged.

I oppose any plans to build new nuclear power stations on the grounds of safety. The world has changed since the first nuclear power stations were built. The cost of disposing of nuclear waste is enormous. Britain should exit from our nuclear power station strategy as soon as possible. - Councillor Ben Ord, Liberal Democrat, Spennymoor.

WEMBLEY

SKIPPER David Beckham has stated that he would love to play at the opening of the new Wembley Stadium with England as world champions.

I doubt very much he will still be playing at the time of the opening if current reports about the stadium are to be believed. - Kev McStravick, Darlington.