THE New Labour prize for Soviet-style manipulation of statistics goes to columnist Rob Merrick whose attempt to make a comparison between unemployment now and that of the mid-1980s (Echo, Jan 15) was quite the most disappointing, disingenuous and, in reality, laziest piece of journalism that I have had the displeasure to read for quite some time.

I have been made redundant on a number of occasions and, along with colleagues, have pretty much spent the past year under the cloud of possible job losses, that threat cumulating in the loss of nearly 100 good jobs, good friends and work colleagues alike (I count myself extremely lucky).

Additionally, in those 1980s to which Mr Merrick refers, I watched, pretty much in horror as a 20-year-old serviceman, as both my father and mother initially – she worked one of the coal board canteens – were out on strike.

Mr Merrick’s comparison is not shared by anyone I know; everyone is pretty much in agreement that work opportunities, and particularly in manufacturing, have never been so poor.

I have no wish to talk down the area or its people, both are second to none, but like our under-achieving MPs, perhaps Mr Merrick spends too much time in London, instead of talking to real people.

Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham.

UNEMPLOYMENT is said to be approaching the two million mark. This figure does not include those on training schemes or the large numbers on incapacity for genuine reasons, or because they have lost all hope of ever finding a regular job.

We have never been in a situation like this before.

Manufacturing jobs will not be replaced and the sector could die out completely unless the workforce is prepared to match the low pay and conditions of China or Eastern Europe.

Once Africa catches up with the rest of the industrial world the prospects will be bleaker for the British worker who will have to take severe pay cuts and fit in with the global market rate for what their job is worth.

We need a nationalist approach to industry as advocated by the British National Party, whereby we trade with British-based manufacturers as much as possible, only importing goods which we can’t grow or make to an acceptable standard ourselves.

The alternative is high unemployment, insecurity, repossessions, and low-paid work.

Shipyards, coal mines, railway and steelworks need to be reopened and invested in.

However, this won’t be easy because 30 years of neglect by the Tories and New Labour has seen a lot of the skills needed for these vital jobs lost.

Trevor Agnew, Darlington.