WAR AGAINST IRAQ: TONY Blair's frantic attempts to get the British people and his own party to allow President Bush to take us into war against the Iraqi people have been rebuffed, a victory for sanity.

But the time for rejoicing has not yet arrived; no doubt Mr Blair and Jack Straw will continue to try to convince us that President Bush, with his formidable arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, is the champion of the so-called free world and the international community. We must continue to resist these men and their supporters in the interests of peace and justice, even in the school of politics we are grown-ups, not infants. - Rev John Stephenson, East Herrington.

IRAQ'S possession of weapons of mass destruction is the reason given to justify a war with this country.

If the justification of this proposed war is based on the track record of Saddam Hussein, it may be pertinent to look at the US's track record. The first atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima killed 70,000 in an instant, a further 70,000 died from the effects within five years.

As if this wouldn't deter the Japanese, a further bomb was dropped three days later, just in case they hadn't got the message. A further 70,000 or so died instantly and the suffering that ensued claimed the lives of thousands over the next three months, not to mention the birth defects and cancers that are suffered to this day.

Next, let's take Vietnam. The defoliating agents were created in US laboratories and tested on the landscape of Vietnam, stripping massive areas of land of mature trees and vegetation; agents Orange and Blue interfered with plant growth; the napalm dropped ensured the charred souls of women children and rebels alike didn't rise up to fight the enemy - another invention from the US and used by the US.

This is the reality behind this war, and, to all those who want a war, perhaps being on the receiving end of some of these liberating forces might make them change their minds. - Pamela Stott, Scarborough.

ROAD SAFETY

HAVING read the comments made by the police in respect of the accidents which occurred on both the A19 and on the A1 this week and that, in the main, drivers were driving too fast and without lights, I would like to support their comments.

I had to travel from Darlington to Newton Aycliffe on Tuesday morning and used the A1 from the A68 slip road and on both my outward and return journeys must have encountered a minimum of 20 vehicles being driven without lights on at all.

I am not sure of the legal requirements on this but one could almost say that it is almost like driving with your eyes closed!

I do feel that drivers should be taken to task more in relation to this and perhaps then the accident rate might lessen and who knows, insurance premiums might not be so high. - JD Blair, Darlington.

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT

ENGLAND is intended to be abolished by being Balkanised into regions, even to the extent of the name of England being erased from the map of the European Union.

Meanwhile, Scotland has been granted its own Parliament, and thus the people of Scotland have their interests represented not only in the UK Parliament but also their own Parliament in Scotland and in the forums of the EU. Scottish Westminster MPs can vote on English only matters, while English Westminster MPs cannot vote on Scottish only matters.

The people of England have been granted none of the advantages gained by the Scottish people, although we contribute a disproportionate amount of money to Scotland via the Barnett Formula, and we are thus treated in a very discriminatory way.

The Campaign for an English Parliament believes that the people of England should have their own Parliament to represent their interests just as the Scots have. An English Parliament would maintain the unity and identity of England, just as the Scottish Parliament is doing for the Scots. An English Parliament would allow the people of England to have their interests represented not only in the UK parliament, but also in their own Parliament and in the EU. An English Parliament would mean that English only matters were discussed only by representatives of the people of England.

Mr Blair declared that Scotland is a proud, historic nation and so deserved its own parliament, similarly England is also a proud, historic nation but apparently does not deserve its own parliament. This is gross discrimination against the English people and must be rectified by the establishment of an English Parliament. - Michael Oliver, Campaign for an English Parliament, Whitby.

EUROPE

BRITAIN has been a member of the Common Market/European Union for 30 years and during that time a number of myths have been allowed to grow unchecked.

These myths need to he demolished before people begin to believe them.

Myth 1: Membership of the EU is beneficial to Britain's trade with Europe. This is completely false. In 1973 Britain had a healthy trade surplus with our European trading partners, now in 2003 we have a massive trade deficit with the rest of the EU.

Myth 2: The EU invests large sums of money in Britain. Another falsehood. The EU has no money of its own. Any money invested by the EU in this country, is simply a case of us getting some of our own money back.

Myth 3: Since being formed the European Union has kept the peace in Europe. This is the biggest myth of all. Since the end of the Second World War peace in Europe has been maintained by NATO. At least four of its members are not in the EU and its most powerful member is the US.

All this leads me to ask two questions, exactly why are we a member of the EU and what benefit is it to this country? - Eric Wilson, UK Independence Party, Hartlepool.