Letters

THE mathematics of the national pension can never add up if you have fewer and fewer contributions coming in, and more and more taking out larger and larger sums.

Before condemning a rise in the pensionable age, it is worth looking at some facts.

The working life today is a lot shorter than pre-war, when people left school at 14 and worked full-time in shipyards and steelworks etc. And their working hours were about 48 to 50 per week with one week holiday per year.

One of the idiosyncrasies in sex discrimination legislation is that the lifespan of women is longer than men but they become OAPs five years earlier at the age of 60. So they have a shorter working life and draw pensions for five years longer. - E Reynolds, Wheatley Hill.

THE leader column (Echo, July 6) seems to ignore the fact that pensioners have done a lot better than they have done for a long time.

There are millionaires claiming family allowance as well as the less well off, which is a flaw that should be rectified.

But to suggest the better-off pensioners, of which there are many, should get the same benefits as the less well off is a price I cannot see the younger generation being prepared to pay.

After all there are many young people a lot worse off financially than the pensioner. - John Young, Crook.

EUROPEAN DEBATE

EDWARD Heath held a referendum as to whether Britain should enter the European Union and the British public voted 'Yes'.

However, when it came to putting that vote into operation, the Tories lost their bottle and reneged. They found that they could not cut the mustard and so we found ourselves half way in and half way out and we have been that way ever since.

For over ten years Margaret Thatcher, with her swinging handbag, portrayed the British nation as irrational idiots.

The British pound that took the place of the English pound has become a handful of nickel coins which William Hague clings to as a child clings to the rag on which he cut his teeth.

The British pound is the plaything of the moneychangers who will, as they did before, throw it to the wolves when it suits them.

So many respectable business and trade union leaders cry out that Mr Hague's phobia for the pound is ruining the staple businesses that it is clear that his followers have, like ostriches, stuck their heads in the sand. - Les Parsons, Darlington.

I SHARE the belief of many local business leaders that the euro is in the best interests of the British and indeed the North-East economy.

The facts are compelling. Our industries, of which we are so rightly proud, rely on trade with our neighbours. Indeed, 60 per cent of UK exports go to the EU mainland. Joining the euro would give our region's companies a level playing field with those of the eurozone. All research shows that joining the euro would safeguard jobs in our region.

The Internet, e-commerce and globalisation are developing at an incredible pace, and the old fragmentation of European currencies is no longer viable. Yes, the British economy is doing well in this climate but so are the rapidly-growing economies of France, Germany and the Netherlands. So, to say that the euro stifles enterprise and creativity is simply not true.

The euro has suffered from many detractors but there are some key questions that will need to be asked when the referendum comes around:

Would our industries not be better equipped to plan for future investment if they could conduct most of their trade free from the uncertainties of currency fluctuations? Would they not be more competitive? Would the euro not secure our future as a centre for overseas investment ? I believe strongly that the answer to these crucial questions is yes. - Dr Barbara O'Toole, Labour MEP for the North East of England and Socialist Group Co-ordinator on the European Parliaments Culture Committee.

TONY Blair has destroyed Great Britain and he will finish the job when he gets us under European laws.

All our ways of life, customs and laws will be gone forever. Our only hope is for the people to demand a referendum now and vote Labour out at the next election.

The letter from our man in Japan saying unless we ditch the pound for the euro we will lose the Nissan car plant is rubbish.

In fact, it is the over production of cars that is the problem and nothing to do with the pound. There are just too many cars and not enough buyers.

Our country's economy has never been better as regards foreign investment. So why does this New Labour want to put us into Europe? Trade with Europe yes, but let us keep our pound and above all our independence. - FG Wealands, Darlington.

THE latest Government-backed European directive to force Christian charities and schools to employ non-believers and practising homosexuals (Echo, June 30) is outrageous.

Why should Europe dictate to an organisation who they should or should not employ?

Of course, churches and other religious groups want to employ people who hold the same beliefs and values as themselves. What's wrong with that?

Forcing this directive on faith-based organisations is in clear violation of religious freedom. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

CASTLE PLAYERS

I COULDN'T understand how Northern Echo critic Helen Brown (Echo, July 8) failed to be captivated by The Castle Players' production of The Beaux Stratagem at the Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle last week.

The costumes and set were magnificent, the performances - from pageboy up - were excellent, and I thought the play itself - which Ms Brown says she failed to understand - was very straightforward and very funny.

Perhaps Helen Brown should remember that the Castle Players are not a professional theatre company - though they never fail to turn in a thoroughly professional performance - but men, women and children who give up a great deal of free time to put on a fantastic annual production. This year was no exception. - Jenny Peat, Boldron, Barnard Castle.