DURING the continuing drama of countless MPs' dishonesty, I have been astonished by the number pleading financial ineptitude as the cause of irregularities.

To take them at their word, what on earth happens at weekend surgeries when constituents seek guidance on how best to spend decreasing income?

Are they told by these people that, unfortunately, they were no good at arithmetic at school? And do constituency committees select candidates with the most attractive faces or potential charisma, with little or no estimate of their academic prowess?

After many weeks of weak defence and a welter of attacks, I am still waiting to hear something positive – such as the first cheep from an MP recommending a Christian stewardship of money, including tithing.

I take it that today too many members have no religious beliefs or standards, even if they are frightened to tell that to their constituents.

You are to be commended on setting out in detail the pathetic disclosures collected locally for your columns of June 19, even though they are only part of
the truth.
They appear, of course, at a time of national and global financial crisis, and consequent domestic stringency, when the finances of those in public life (myself included) should, therefore, survive the closest scrutiny.

They have a duty to proffer to the nation the strong message that every penny they spend can be accounted for, irrespective of its origin, and is pre-eminently free from any ethical dubiety.

From: David W Wright, Little Lane, Easingwold, North Yorkshire.

THE various reports concerning the "snouts in the trough" culture of our politicians, bankers and entertainers (Yorkshire Post, June 25) make very serious reading, and one must question the ability of anyone in authority to eradicate this sick and obscene situation.

Reading of the unjustified and outrageous fees and perks paid to bankers, the BBC executives and their hirelings, and comparing these salaries and perks to our discredited politicians on their relatively low basic pay, one must simply make the comment that if MPs are paid peanuts, then we get monkeys in return, but underlying this statement is the importance of attracting a higher standard and calibre of person to Westminster.

The whole wages/salaries/ rewards system is in meltdown through years of abuse and lack of integrity in both the public and private sectors, hence the economic downturn in which the UK is now embroiled. But who cares? Certainly not Gordon Brown and Co, who continue to spend, spend, spend and fail to rein in this culture of increasing our national debt.

It is time for a complete change of attitude for all of
us, and, for starters, I suggest that David Cameron gets real and offers the public some radical forthright Right-wing policies.

It must be obvious to him that more and more people are turning to parties such as UKIP and the BNP because they are heartily sick of the Lib-Lab-Con middle-of-the- road scenario.

The far Left who will never be right

From: William Snowden, Butterbowl Gardens, Farnley Ring Road, Leeds.

BERNARD Dineen was right to draw attention to the insidious activities of the Socialist Workers Party and its various front organisations like the puerile Anti-Nazi League (Yorkshire Post, June 15). They are, indeed, a "Trotskyite rabble".

When I was a student, the Trotskyists liked to pose as romantic rebels like Che Guevara (whose wall poster was considered the height of Left-wing chic), fighting oppression and injustice. They referred constantly to "the workers" but never seemed to do any work themselves, either in or out of college. Indeed, the only time they exerted themselves was at "student demos", fomenting disorder by contriving violent confrontations with the police.

The Trotskyists were shunned by most other students, who regarded them as being a bit sinister – but also faintly ridiculous.

I was reading Modern World History, with a Russian specialism, but soon found that engaging them in debate was a futile exercise. The iniquities of Soviet Communism were denied: "That's not Communism," they insisted, "That's Stalinism."

As the man who ordered the assassination of Leon Trotsky in Mexico City, in 1940, Joseph Stalin was their bête noire.

The twin scourges of the 20th century were Soviet Communism and National Socialism. They were the forked trunk of a twisted tree, which withered in the towering shadow of democracy. Ultimately, good did, and does, prevail over evil.

Flats should be flattened

From: Mrs DM Priestley, Fixby Road, Huddersfield.

AS an enthusiast for the conservation of our built heritage, a member of the National Trust and English Heritage and a Friend of the Historic Houses Association, I would love to say a resounding "Yes!" to your efforts to highlight our responsibility for this vital work (Yorkshire Post, June 23).

One thing, however, troubles me, and many others to whom I have spoken. Why conserve/ preserve/spend money on Park Hill Flats, Sheffield?

I've never heard a good word said about Park Hill, and as its concrete structure crumbled, there was a feeling that demolition was the only answer. Now, with money for heritage taken to finance the Olympics, and private sponsors hit by the financial situation, we must use scarce resources wisely.

What does a building require to persuade us to save it?
Does it enhance its environment? Does it have historic interest? Is it architecturally important? Does it contain a collection that might be dispersed and lost? Is it the centre and focus for parks and gardens? Is it made of materials local to an area which defy the modern trend to make every town the same? Is it a "character" building?

Plenty of buildings have one or more of these advantages. Park Hill Flats has none. Cut your losses, English Heritage, and pull down the whole site.

Getting back on track

From: George McManus, Norwood, Beverley.

GRANVILLE Stockdale (Yorkshire Post, June 23), suspects that building on former trackbed may present problems for re-opening old railway lines.

He should be aware that in 2005, the East Riding Council, with the support of Hull City Council, commissioned a Leeds engineering consultancy to look at the trackbed of the former Beverley-to-York railway. They concluded that the vast majority of the trackbed had not undergone development and that, with a few diversions, it would be a feasible project to re-open
the line.

East Riding's cabinet has now just submitted these findings to the Local Government Association as part of the consultation on sustainable communities. The aspiration of re-opening this line at least is not so difficult as might appear to be the case. Indeed, when Lord Adonis, who is now Secretary of State for Transport, visited Hull recently, he was impressed by our proposals.

As we plan for a more sustainable transport network for the coming years, re-opening lines could well climb up the priority league table, not only in East Yorkshire, but across the whole county.

More details can be found at www.minstersrail.org.uk


The 'failures' who proved the world wrong

From: Eric Houlder, Fairview, Carleton, Pontefract.

I AM glad that Peter Edwards (Yorkshire Post, June 27) put the record straight regarding so-called 11-plus failures.

I failed the 11-plus in 1952, and found myself in an excellent secondary modern school. There, dedicated teachers and a brilliant headmaster, Mr Watson-Bowen, realised that I was in the wrong school.

My biggest problem was handwriting using the primitive dip-in pens – which was then normal – compounded by the fact that I am left-handed.

Mr Watson-Bowen let me try his new ball-point pen. The difference was amazing, and when I was entered for the 13-plus, an exam which the proponents of comprehensives conveniently forget about, I passed.

At the same time, I sat the entrance exam for the excellent local technical college, and passed that, too. Faced with a choice, I chose the King's School, and the rest is, I suppose, history.

My point is that I was not the only one to fail once and pass later.

It was possible to enter grammar school all the way through secondary education. Those who did not take advantage of these opportunities had many other options to achieve higher education later in life.

I later taught in several secondary modern schools and even for a short period in a grammar school. I still believe that the old system had much to offer.

Indeed, many of my contemporaries who went right through secondary modern schools ended up far better off financially than I did. Some went to university much later in life.

Failing the 11-plus certainly did not condemn one to a life of failure.


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