23/12/05

She asks what it means to be English (Echo, Dec 1), when the question should surely be when will the English be recognised?

The UK is a dying animal. New Labour has effectively killed it.

Scotland has a parliament which is spending hugely in Scotland, Wales has an assembly which is shortly to be given more power and which will eventually evolve into a full blown parliament, can anyone doubt that? Ireland has an assembly, and who knows how that will develop in the face of two vastly different religious communities, but develop it will.

What has England got? Why England has Westminster, which is responsible for the entire UK and not just England, so a Scot or Welshman can influence it while we cannot influence their governance.

It has a government dominated by Scots and the Welshman, Mr Prescott who denies that England even exists and who seems determined, openly or secretly it matters not to him, to break the country into 'regions'. England has no voice, no representation, not one of the three major political parties cares a damn about her other than at election time.

So please, Ms Cannam, ask when will we have a parliament which speaks for us and us alone. - M Peck, Brigg, North Lincs.

CELEBRATION

EVERY year we hear stories of attempts to ban the celebration of the birth of Christ for fear of offending people of other faiths.

The Archbishop of Canterbury is right to condemn such nonsense (Echo, Dec 19) but I do wonder about the origins of these stories.

I cannot imagine anyone from a minority faith objecting to the celebration of Christianity. Why would they? Freedom of religious practice is a basic right for people of all faiths, minority and majority, and an essential foundation for a free and democratic society.

Nor would such daft suggestions come from anyone who is genuinely opposed to racism and religious intolerance.

So are these really the recommendations of politically-correct zealots and well-meaning idiots, or merely the inventions and distortions of mischief-makers intent on discrediting those who are genuinely working to embrace diversity and promote equality and human rights? - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

PLEA FROM ALED

FOR many of us, Christmas is a time of music and merriment, and this year, for Nicki, this is especially true.

Last Christmas, Nicki wasn't able to sing in a carol concert or listen to Christmas songs while shopping for presents. Nicki was at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability unable to move or communicate.

When she was 24, Nicki had a fall while on holiday and suffered a severe brain injury which put her in a coma.

From the programme of specialist rehabilitative therapies Nicki received at the hospital, music therapy has proven to be particularly valuable, and a year later she is able to talk, sing and communicate clearly. She's even developed a new pastime and enjoys singing and playing the piano.

The Royal Hospital has the UK's only specialist music therapy department for people with neurological conditions and cares for hundreds of people from across the UK each year.

Each year, almost 12,000 people like Nicki will suffer a severe brain injury and your generosity can help them find their voice.

I'd like you to consider supporting the hospital this Christmas.

The hospital is a charity, not part of the NHS, so without your support this extraordinary work simply cannot go on. Just £15 will purchase a CD used in a music relaxation session to improve a patient's mood and well-being and £35 funds one music therapy session helping someone like Nicki relearn how to communicate. To donate call fundraising on 020 8780 4563 or visit www.rhn.org.uk/donate.

I hope you'll enjoy your festive season as much as Nicki and her family. - Aled Jones, singer and supporter, Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, Putney.

ORGAN DONORS

YOUR article concerning the liver transplant of baby Lennox Nicholson (Echo, Dec 14) has once again highlighted the desperate shortage of donor organs that are required for transplant.

The vast majority of people are concerned about the situation and do acquire donor cards.

Unfortunately however, the last thing on our minds when we dress for work or change for leisure pursuits, is to transfer the card to what we are wearing.

It would be interesting to establish the percentage of accident victims who are carrying their cards. Not a great many, I would imagine.

Is it not time to adopt the Opt Out system whereby anyone not registered nationally as not wanting to donate his or her organs will be assumed to have consented?

I would hope that, on our next census form, a question regarding our willingness or otherwise to donate our organs will be asked.

Meanwhile, The Northern Echo should take up the cudgel for an Opt Out agreement. - Ray Liversidge, Billingham.

PENSIONS

OAPs worried about pensions and others thought it would be sorted before they need it.

Now, young people worry about pensions and there is a growing rift between public and private sector workers.

The latter feel that they are fighting for trade in an increasingly hostile, competitive and risky world market place, and those in the public sector are their backup. The infantry and the home front, you could say.

Somebody has an idea and creates a product hoping it will sell. The market has to be defined and investors found.

It then has to be produced, packaged, launched and distributed to where it can be bought, through a sales force.

The Treasury and all our services depend for their finance on it selling and creating a profit. Nothing happens until somebody sells an idea or a product.

There are no guarantees, jobs for life, early retirement or inflation-proofed pensions.

Not everybody is suited to one sector or the other. Each depends on the other and is essential to our progress as a nation.

It is wrong to ask one sector to work longer for the other to retire earlier. If those positions were reversed where would we be? - George Appleby York.