ROAD SPEED: IT is reported (Echo, Jul 18) that a "biker" was travelling at a speed of 157mph.

It may be correct that this is the fastest speed recorded by camera on a British road. However, it is certainly not the fastest road speed recorded in Britain.

In the 1960s, prior to the implementation of the 70mph speed limit, the AC Cobra Le Mans car, in preparation for that race, was being brought out at dawn onto the M1 motorway.

The motorway was being used to emulate the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. Even though there wasn't an upper speed limit on the motorway, the police sought a court injunction to stop this practice.

The injunction was granted, the judge being quoted as saying: "When the average motorist glances at his rear view mirror he does not expect the car approaching from behind to be travelling in excess of 200mph".

I believe the speed recorded was in the order of 210mph. - E Woodley, Billingham.

IRAQ

DO I hear roasting sounds of Gordon Brown cooking his own goose?

More and more he is allowing himself to be identified with Tony Blair's dodgier and dodgier excuses for the Iraq debacle in all of its squalid misinformation and destruction.

As Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr Brown will have to underwrite millions of pounds of public expenditure, not only for the war itself, but for the occupation of Iraq and all sorts of other long-term costs.

The image of a prudent Chancellor has almost disappeared.

As Iraq taxes begin to impinge upon public services and our standard of living, Mr Brown may soon rue the day that he clung on to Tony Blair's jingoistic and irresponsible bandwagon. - E Turnbull, Gosforth.

TONY BLAIR

NOW would be an appropriate time to comment on the predicament facing Tony Blair.

He made a terrible mistake in joining George Bush to start a war in Iraq against the wishes of a majority of our own people and most of the civilised world.

He is now facing a revolt from the now left-dominated trade unions which will reach a climax at the party conference later in the year.

His policies on foundation hospitals and tuition fees are unpopular.

He has alienated our true allies, France and Germany, to play second fiddle to Mr Bush whose foreign policies are riddled with double standards and hypocrisy.

I fear if Mr Blair continues to ride roughshod over those who believe in traditional Labour values, and I don't mean those on the far left, but true social democrats who form the majority of the centre left of politics, he will drive himself into a corner from which there is no way out other than to resign.

It is difficult not to like Mr Blair, but he has lost his way in the critical world of politics.

It may be time for him to step back and think hard about the way ahead and yes, even admit to some mistakes - people do not like those who think they are never wrong.

When the great Nelson Mandela worries about some of Mr Blair's recent actions, then surely it is time for Mr Blair to listen, not preach. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

IN Alastair Cooke's Letter from America radio broadcast recently he told of how 83 per cent of the American public believe Tony Blair to be the most trusted political leader in the world (Echo, July 14).

The Americans are reassured by his intelligence and seriousness. They also believe that their President, George W Bush, could learn from Mr Blair.

Tony Blair has changed and modernised the Labour Party to make it more electable.

If the party now adopts far left policies it will face endless years of opposition to the Tories.

Mr Blair must fight this. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

I THINK the moaners who want rid of Tony Blair have forgotten the bad old days when Margaret Thatcher was in power, privatising the railways, the electricity board and the railway. And NHS has not yet recovered from her time.

He has virtually altered Parliament by modifying the House of Lords and, agree or not with war on Iraq, a democratic council is being set up there (Echo, July 14). Would you want Clare Short to take his place? - F Atkinson, Shincliffe.

DURHAM CITY

IT was tragic enough when the Robins Cinema went walkabout for an Aussie theme bar, but £20,000 for an underground loo!

It's time the money was spent by the local authorities in the bus station for decent public conveniences. - Pat McCormick, Spennymoor.

MINERS' GALA

THE drifting away from socialism throughout the Labour Party has steadily increased since Neil Kinnock set the rot in by turning his back on the miners during their struggle for survival in the 1980s.

Neil's doing all right for himself now, isn't he? Yet what of that staunch supporter of the miners' just cause at that time, Arthur Scargill?

Oh he's too far to the left, some would say. Well, give me an honest leftie any day before some of those pseudo Tories we have in New Labour purporting to be advocates of socialism.

I would say to the executive of the Durham Mineworkers' Association, have Arthur on the platform next Gala Day rather than phoney Tony. - AW Dunn, Spennymoor.