Letters

YOUR editorial (Echo, May 30) is correct in pointing out the weakness of William Hague's simplistic platitudes of keeping the pound.

The pound is an anachronism and I can't see the point of the rest of the EU keeping a currency out of touch with its own. It makes sense to have the same currency as the rest of the EU and I don't see the point in delaying the obvious.

As soon as the election is over, this issue should be resolved because shilly-shallying around will only make things worse.

While the suggestion of each state fighting its own corner is a fair assessment, like many other points of view, we have first of all to assess what it is we want from a united union which is, it seems, the problem. We all interpret the same ideas in a different way and then can't agree on the best way of going about it.

It is the same as religion, there are many various views on its concept, then the problem is trying to agree on a common denomination which is why, in any argument, we must first decide what we are discussing is on the same wavelength and that it is of benefit to us all.

Europe divided cannot succeed in a world fraught with danger, nor can we hope to succeed against the economic might of our competitors. We have no other choice but to be part of a united Europe. - John Young, Crook.

WILLIAM Hague has some brass neck. How he has the cheek to say that the electorate is sleep walking to disaster on June 7 just goes to show how much he and his party thinks the electorate have forgotten about the incompetence of the last Tory Government.

Nor ought he to be under any illusion that we, the electorate, have forgotten that he himself was a cabinet minister in the Major administration.

Mr Hague should know that the electorate is not sleep walking. The people are wide awake and are on to him. Does he not think that people might not want to return to a way of life that would threaten their security and promote uncertainty?

Young people are today enjoying a decent living wage and a million people have rediscovered hope and dignity by coming off the dole.

Low mortgages have put real money back in home-buyers' pockets and inflation has not been so low for decades.

William Hague has forgotten so much in four years. Tony Blair's Government is criticised by Mr Hague for not doing enough in the same period.

It is painfully clear that when the record of the last Tory Government is examined and its period in office judged, it will be seen as a party that is neither competent nor ready to lead the British people again. The dreadful consequences for this nation of Mr Hague entering Downing Street on June 8 is the best reason I can think of to get out and vote on June 7. - The Rev MJ Wray, Tudhoe.

SOME elements of the media should be heartily ashamed of themselves for trawling around for people to deprecate the NHS.

I cannot recall in any of the TV coverage an effort being made to hear from anyone with praise for our excellent health service.

Millions of people have nothing but praise for the NHS and they have been ignored by the media. Everyone knows the NHS is a bottomless pit as far as money is concerned and, unless people are prepared to pay higher taxes, nothing will change.

If the Tories cut taxes, that will mean less for the NHS and public services. - Hugh Pender, Darlington.

IT is time for someone from William Hague's constituency who has known him since he was first chosen to represent North Yorkshire to say why he has been such a good local MP and an excellent leader of the Conservative Party. He is, above all, an honest man. He has the clear backing of all his Shadow Cabinet colleagues, without gagging them to repeat the same words ad nauseum. Some of the senior Tories who have lost their influence are constantly asked for an opinion on Europe, but Mr Hague uniquely sent a letter to every member of the party early in his leadership setting out the pros and cons of entry into the common currency (euro). The vast majority (83 per cent) rejected the euro.

I would ask all who intend to vote on June 7 to put aside prejudices on bald heads and Northern accents and actually listen to or read what Mr Hague has to say. He has experience of business and finance as well as politics and is bidding to become Prime Minister of Great Britain - not a turncoat film star. - OM Bland, Richmond.

FOOT-AND-MOUTH

THIS is the first year for ten years we have not visited the south-west of France at Easter.

One of the reasons was that no one is really sure what spreads the foot-and-mouth disease. Is it tyres, people, birds, other animals etc, or could it be transferred in the heating system of a car? We just do not know.

So we made the decision not to have the holiday we looked forward to for months as we go to a sheep farm in the Lot. And to risk carrying this terrible sickness was something we just did not want to take.

So we wrote to our farmer to explain why we were absent and his reply was to really thank us for our consideration, but he also stressed that the French farmers in their area feel total sorrow that their "brothers of the land" are going through this and their thoughts are with them.

They seem always to get the hammer by our press so I thought I would pass on honest opinions from a trusted and decent man. - Bob Avery, Witton Gilbert.

SAUDI ARABIA

FOREIGN Secretary Robin Cook should stop meddling in other countries' punishment for crime.

He is trying to stop four Britons from being flogged in Saudi Arabia for illegal alcohol trading.

People going to Saudi Arabia know their strict laws on alcohol and, like anywhere else, if they break the law should accept that country's punishment.

A few floggings would not go amiss in Britain for certain crimes as it would make many would-be offenders think twice. And never mind what the do-gooders say, the punishment should fit the crime. - TE Crook, Bishop Auckland.