CUTS in spending will have an adverse impact on the police’s ability to prevent and detect crime. Cuts will reduce the number of officers we have in case of a summer of strikes, protest marches and possible riots.

Defence cuts, which are behind the recent closure of the Armstrong Vickers factory in Newcastle, not only threaten Britain’s defence capability but will put the lives of servicemen and women at risk.

Cuts will also place the Falkland Islands at risk of a possible Argentinian invasion.

Instead of recalling Parliament to discuss these and equally important matters, MPs from all parties have chosen to focus on a campaign to rename Big Ben.

A campaign which, if successful, will require replacing signs and reprinting tourist guides etc, wasting more of our money on something that no one asked for and which is of no use to anyone.

If MPs consider a name change to be important, they should pay for the changes themselves, resign and be replaced by those who actually understand the nation’s priorities.

CT Riley, Spennymoor.