The constant attacks on Gordon Brown by the media have tended to obscure the type of Prime Minister David Cameron would be, but the article (Yorkshire Post, November 9) headed "Shortlist threat in row over deselection vote" shows us what type of leader he would make.

The article refers to Liz Truss who was selected by the South West Norfolk Conservative Association to be their candidate in the next General Election. After an article in a newspaper referring to her having an extra-marital affair, she faced and won another vote this week over whether she should remain the candidate.

This situation annoyed David Cameron, who said that if Ms Truss had been deselected he would have forced the Norfolk constituency to draw up an all-women list of candidates because he regards Ms Truss very highly.

This is the action of a man who openly talks about the importance of family values. It also shows that he will change his views if it suits him.

From: Chris Walker, Columbus Ravine, Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

From: Dick Lindley, Altofts, Normanton, West Yorkshire.

I WAS appalled to learn that the Tory Party has adopted all-women shortlists to select some General Election candidates. David Cameron should be ashamed that such a divisive policy has been adopted during his term as leader.

When I was actively engaged in Tory politics, candidates were chosen on their ability to competently represent the constituency and the party irrespective of gender, colour or creed.

This idiotic policy, following hard on the heels of his broken referendum promise, could jeopardise a Tory win at the next election by driving the Tory faithful out into the political wilderness.

Mr Cameron needs to descend from his ivory tower into the real world a little more often.

From: D Smith, Sandhill Way, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

THE lack of leadership and command displayed by David Cameron has convinced me that David Davis, the Haltemprice and Howden MP, would have been a far better choice for party leader.

The Conservative Party, in opposition, has proved to be completely ineffective, allowing Tony Blair and Gordon Brown to dictate to the electorate and further spread the pernicious tentacles of socialism. Cameron should have been more decisive and vociferous and forced Brown into a referendum on Europe.

Churchill advocated trade with Europe, not subject ourselves to rule by Europe.

I do not wish our sovereignty to be surrendered to Brussels. Nor do I wish this country to be ruled by Brussels.

It would appear that Conservatism is now a spent force and therefore henceforth I shall pledge my allegiance to the United Kingdom Independence Party.


How we can protect the Royal Mail

From: Rick Sumner, Cliff Road, Hornsea, East Yorkshire.

THE future of Royal Mail and the Post Office is worrying many people.

Over a number of years, the Government seems to have waged a war of attrition against the service. Now we have the unelected Lord Mandelson determined to privatise something which belongs to the people of this country.

We are told that Europe insists commercial companies must be allowed to bid for the right to operate mail services. This is a very handy excuse for the Government to use. If we must allow commercial companies to make bids to provide mail services the answer is surely quite simple.

We just need to define what they must provide – a universal service to every address in the United Kingdom at a common price.

This is what Royal Mail does now and this is the service we need. If we insist this is what companies provide, they would all disappear in a flash. The privateers should not be allowed to cream off the very profitable markets in our towns and cities, leaving our rural communities with a very uncertain future.


A blot on Britain

From: Bob Crowther, High Street, Crigglestone, Wakefield.

THE child migrants sent to Australia, a seemingly overlooked occurrence, was a terrible blot on British society (Yorkshire Post, November 16). This policy to remove children, some as young as three years old, from their homes and recognised institutions without parental knowledge or consent was a crime against society.

We were the only country in the world to adopt child migration and, unfortunately, many of our major institutions, such as the Church of England, the Methodist and Catholic Churches, along with the Salvation Army, played major roles in this issue.

It is estimated that about 130,000 children were despatched to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United States and South Africa in an effort to boost the population and also provide a source of cheap labour.

Many of the children lived in appalling conditions and standards of care, with many cases of physical and sexual abuse being recorded. The final migration to Australia took place in 1967.

Unfortunately, governments have been unable to provide accurate statistics and as such, we will never get to know the full facts behind this most terrible act.


Strength in currency

From: Michael Swaby, Hainton Avenue, Grimsby.

THE knowledgeable Thomas W Jefferson quotes a UK growth forecast for 2010-11, and claims that, if achieved, "the reason for this is that we have retained our own currency" (Yorkshire Post, November 13).

Doing this has enabled us to set our own interest rates, but not to determine the exchange rate of the pound.

It is true that, all else being equal, the lower pound provides an opportunity for our exporters. But things could go wrong, such as large increases in the prices of food and imported raw materials.

Also, there are plenty of losers, such as pensioners who have seen the yield on deposit accounts fall to almost nothing.

After Dunkirk in 1940, Winston Churchill reminded us that: "We must be very careful not to assign to this deliverance the attributes of a victory. Wars are not won by evacuation."

I would suggest that devaluation should be viewed in a similar light. Historically, the most successful nations have been those that have maintained strong and stable currencies for long periods.

If we are to emerge successfully from the current crisis, it will be
through sound financial and economic management. Without it, avoiding the euro will not save us, any more than it did Iceland.


Only trams can can put city on the right track

From: Dan Laythorpe, Kendal Bank, Little Woodhouse, Leeds.

I WOULD like to add my voice to those of recent correspondents, including Bob Watson (Yorkshire Post, November 16), calling for a modern tram network for Leeds in preference to the proposal for a far inferior trolley bus system.

The latter type of system, if built (and there is still plenty of doubt whether this perfidious Government will provide the necessary funding even for that) would, I believe, quickly achieve and exceed capacity.

It would then become evident that the extra capacity needed would only be possible with the greater length and spaciousness that modern low-floor tram vehicles can provide. One need look no further than Nottingham or Dublin for examples of this, where trams run effectively as a street metro.

To then convert to tram operation by the laying of rails would cause immense disruption to a by then established system for at least a year.

Why is it that the tightwads at the Department for Transport and the Treasury have no long-term vision when it comes to public transport planning and funding, particularly in this region?

The Treasury certainly has had no compunction about bailing out irresponsible and failed banks to the tune of unthinkable billions of pounds, or indeed about pouring billions into the folly of the Olympics project. The few hundred million required for a basic Leeds tram network using the proposed trolley routes is chicken feed in comparison.

Leeds, being the third largest English single city by population and probably the most important financial centre in England outside the capital, unwarrantedly merits a transport system that reflects its status and serves its needs. Two trolley bus routes will not provide this.

As cities across the world, many much smaller than Leeds, have been discovering in recent years, new light rail tram schemes have had dramatically reviving effects on areas they serve and house prices have commonly risen significantly, as car journeys and traffic congestion have decreased. Jobs have been created directly as a result.

Funding such a project would be money well spent by the Government, as the life span of a tram is more than twice that of a bus, as is the
passenger capacity.

Finally, it has been demonstrated time and time again in recent years that efficient rail-borne electrified transport has much greater appeal to the travelling public than any form of bus.


Country toll of the moles

From: Ken Holmes, Cliffe Common, Selby, York.

BECAUSE of Defra and EU regulations, farmers are now facing another hazard – that of moles running riot and defacing thousands of acres of land prepared and sown with next year's food supplies.

"Medication" previously used over many years with great success is now banned and unobtainable. Trapping moles is not only laborious and time-consuming, it is not always successful. I will gamble all England to a hay that Defra supremo Hilary Benn wouldn't know how to set a mole trap, let alone where to put it.

In any case, I wouldn't trust Defra to set a mouse trap for me.


Close to home with a lottery

From: T Mason, Ackworth Road, Pontefract.

BEFORE the confirmation of the 2012 London Olympics, it was often said that the majority of the money spent on playing the National Lottery was in the North of England and that the majority of the money given out to good causes was spent in the South of England.

Perhaps in the interests of fairness, it is time that the National Lottery games were regionalised so that those who put more in, get more out. Time for the Yorkshire lottery?


We want a vote

From: Lynne Lumley, Marton, Sinnington, York.

IN response to Arun Arora's support of Gordon Brown (Yorkshire Post, November 16), Mr Brown has not and will not steer a stoic or steadfast policy on anything – war, taxes, MPs' expenses or global warming.

He cannot answer a question.

It's way time the people were given the choice. Not Westminster, nor the European unelected bureaucrats. The people want their vote now, not later.