There were thousands of civilians as well as members of the Armed Forces who were not on the Normandy beaches but who nevertheless contributed to the invasion and the subsequent victory. The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, was an ambulance driver and mechanic, Prince Philip was in the Navy; her own parents remained in this country instead of leaving for a safe haven abroad. They, along with Winston Churchill, who also was not there on June 6, were an inspiration to the nation at this terrible time.

In saying people who were not part of it should not be there, his own argument is self-defeating. Can he name one of the heads of state attending who were there? Certainly, his hero Nicolas Sarkozy would be well down in the queue.

Any VCs wishing to attend will be there.

From: JW Smith, Sutton-on-Sea.


From: Barry Foster, High Stakesby, Whitby.

PERHAPS Philip Smith would do well to remember that the
D-Day veterans requested the presence of the Queen and Prince Philip at the ceremony.

From: Colin McNamee, Goddard Avenue, Hull.

AFTER our Government's farcical and appalling behaviour in its handling of the commemoration of the D-Day landings, just hope that Brown, Miliband, Balls & Co never, ever, are given the opportunity to run this country again – or a brewery, for that matter.

From: Dorothy Cope, Beckwithshaw, Harrogate.

READING Brian Dooks's article (Yorkshire Post, May 27), I was very touched to see the picture of veteran John Painter, aged 84, having made his way back to the Normandy beaches to lay a wreath to his fallen comrades.

What a lovely man, having served and survived so many traumatic theatres of war, all his memories are for his old mates and what they went through.

Mention in the article about Mulberry Harbour also takes me back. In 1943/44, I was in charge of the ATS clerks working on this "hush-hush" project at North East Ports headquarters. It was very exciting to see this wonderful invention before it was towed across the Channel prior to D-Day.

Should any of the girls who worked at NE Ports read this, I would love to hear from them.

It's time for Brown to step down

From: RC Curry, Adel Grange Close, Leeds.

WHAT has happened to the Government recently? It appears to have gone into hiding.

Economic problems remain, yet of positive action there is none as the hasty financial knitting of months ago starts to show signs of unravelling.

Now the monetary chicanery of some politicians hits the news and Gordon Brown, as ever, is a gibbering mass of indecision as he fails to give a lead. Even his Cabinet members are left wondering about their future, thus losing whatever minimal authority they ever held.

While minor party aspirants bleat plaintively with pious hopes, David Cameron acts and speaks firmly about changes. His statements show the strength needed to lead Britain out of its ever-increasing state- controlled Orwellian nightmare.

While picking up the present mess is not a task to wish on any new government, as it would have to make firm and unpopular decisions, the time must have come for Brown to realise he has lost it and to go without any further delay.

We need leadership and decision making, not wobble and waffle.

From: Don Burslam, Elm Road, Dewsbury Moor, Dewsbury.

COULD I offer a slightly different slant on Speaker Martin? No, he was not up to the job and in company with many others, he played the system. He was subjected to a relentless campaign to force him out which I think was partly politically motivated and there was also class prejudice.

The real culprit was, as usual, Gordon Brown who put the party machine behind Mr Martin. Personally, I quite liked his unstuffy approach which was certainly not pompous or domineering like some of his predecessors.

It was Gordon Brown who should have realised his unsuitability but wanted his own man. There were candidates far more fitted for the job and I was surprised one of them didn't get it. A secret ballot should now find the right man (or woman).

From: Christine Simpson, Springfields, Laverton, Ripon.

COME on everyone, what is going on with MPs' expenses? Being self-employed builders employing some sub-contractors, we have to fill in a monthly return which requires us to send deducted tax to the Inland Revenue.

If I am one day late sending in tax return, even if it is a nil one, I am sent a penalty bill for £100, which accumulates interest if I do not send it straight away.

Needless to say, I have only done it once. Why are MPs exempt from the penalties they impose on us? I have to pay for my errors, let them pay for theirs. An apology just will not do.

From: George Senior, Spa Well Lane, West Cowick, Goole.

SO, there are no plans to make identity cards compulsory (Yorkshire Post, June 1). Wrong. They should be made compulsory for MPs together with being electronically tagged so that we know where and what they are getting up to at all times.

From: Mrs G Cowan, Caldbergh, North Yorkshire.

"MOTHER in court for school place 'lies' – charged with fraud" (Yorkshire Post, May 29). What better comparison could there be than that currently expressed that there is one law for "us" and another for our MPs who manipulate their expenses.

From: JW Buckley, Aketon, Pontefract.

THERE is hope yet for our battered democracy. The article by Douglas Carswell MP (Yorkshire Post, May 28) shows that there is at least one MP who recognises what a sorry mess our House of Commons is in, and to propose realistic remedies.

To achieve any reform requires voters (yes, that means you, dear reader) to take as much interest in politics as you do in Big Brother and all other similar TV vote-ins.

From: Malcolm Hanson, Bachelor Road, Harrogate.

THE scandal regarding MPs' expenses rumbles on and on, but no mention is made of the "Fees Office"' which authorised these expenses. Which person actually authorised the payments, because it appears to me that that person is ultimately to blame?

From: Kenneth Limb, Barnsley Road, Ackworth, Pontefract.

WE have all followed closely the MPs' expenses disclosures which seem to be a question of legality and morality.

The resignations and repayments put these things into perspective and I agree that an early election seems to be the best course.

MPs – you were wrong but what of the system that allowed it?

From: Allen Jenkinson, Lipscomb Street, Milnsbridge, Huddersfield.

IF a serving MP who employed a close family member chose to stand down at the next election in a dash for cash, would that close family member or members then be entitled to earnings-related state benefits?

From: Susan Dennis, Laverton, Ripon.

WE are aware of irregularities in the system regarding MEPs' expenses and allowances in Brussels, to the extent that the books have not been "signed off" for many years.

We have recently been made aware of the same irregularities in Westminster – do they even have an auditing system in Westminster?

So, would it now not be timely to investigate the expenses claimed by members and officers of local councils – whose council tax rates
have regularly risen well above inflation on a consistent basis?

After all, some chief executives of local councils earn a salary which is greater than the Prime Minister's.

TV's exploitation of a sensitive and talented woman

From: Ann Clarke, Wold Croft, Sutton-on-Derwent.

I MUST confess to never having watched more than a few minutes of Britain's Got Talent before becoming disgusted by what I would describe as ritual humiliation of many of the acts.

So, when directed to a website by a friend in New Zealand, who gave me no details as to what it was about, I did see Susan Boyle's first appearance.

The reaction of the baying mob which passes for an audience at this show and the smirks of the exploitative trio who call themselves "judges" because Susan did not fit the template for a singing act was sickening.

I have to say that I thought that Susan had a very good voice but it was clear from the moment she was presented that she had a fragile personality.

I am sure that the audience at home often get great pleasure from some of the acts shown, but what kind of society have we become when a talented and sensitive woman has to withstand such behaviour from the live audience and the ever present media? Not to mention the inevitable "comment" from our ever- populist Prime Minister.

A question of terminology

From: John Roberts, St John's Court, St John's, Wakefield.

IT never fails to astonish me how politically-correct terminology creeps in to every human organisation, including the Church.

When Vincent Nichols was made the new Archbishop of Westminster, it was referred to as an "installation".

Now forgive me, but I always thought an installation was something you do with a new TV aerial.

The correct term is, of course, "enthronement".

To quote Huw Edwards, who otherwise did a superb commentary on BBC2: "The Church doesn't like to call it an 'enthronement' these days
as it's regarded as a bit provocative, so we use the word 'installation,' a rather more neutral phrase."

What is "provocative" about the word "enthronement?"

The web is for spiders

From: AG Marsden, Pledwick Lane, Sandal, Wakefield.

WITH reference to Sarah Freeman's article (Yorkshire Post, May 28), may I tell her that we Second World War veterans grew up before the
age of computers, that a website is something of interest to spiders and on line is where the laundry goes when the weather is fine.

Fluoride sham

From: Paul Brears, Burton Road, Monk Bretton, Barnsley.

A HUGE majority of the people in Southampton voted against fluoride being added to their water – but the authorities still went ahead.

Can we expect the same treatment in Yorkshire (Yorkshire Post, May 30)? I hope not, as it is yet another example of the sham this Government is making of democracy.