THOUGH not welcome in some circles, I found Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s speech to the Labour Party conference in Brighton just about the best he has ever made.

He began with a list of Labour successes that included the minimum wage, the winter fuel allowance and the shortest ever patient waiting times in the NHS. All commendable achievements.

His proposal that councils will be given the right to ban 24-hour opening of pubs is, I believe, welcome.

By urging his supporters to take up the fight he is striking the right note with voters.

LD Wilson, Guisborough.

WHILE Gordon Brown was leading the way during the G20 conference in tackling problems that affect us all, like global recession, nuclear proliferation and climate change, our cynical media were mocking him to a point which I feel brought our country into disrepute.

His strategy for bringing us out of recession, adopted by all other major countries, is now showing signs of bearing fruit, much to the probable disappointment of David Cameron who vehemently opposed it at every turn.

Voters would do well to remember our Prime Minister’s response to a world crisis against Tory policy on Black Wednesday when Mr Cameron was financial advisor to the Treasury. Also the ten lost years prior to this when whole communities were devastated during a recession which was confined to our country alone.

Mr Brown is much respected worldwide for his intellect and leadership. It was therefore no surprise that he was acclaimed World Statesman of the Year.

Maurice Baker, Middlestone Moor, Spennymoor