Because the rest of us will know that, for their governments to sanction Mugabe and his thugs will bring into focus their own policies against their own people in Tibet and Taiwan, and Georgia and the Ukraine respectively.

Irrespective of the opinion of the man and woman in the street, like-minded regimes will support like-minded regimes. After all, the only people who will suffer from such a veto against sanctions are Zimbabweans. Can they suffer any more?

Equally, we should remember the political doctrine of these nations under consideration. Maoism and Marxism-Leninism are still pretty close to the surface in China and Russia and we should understand that their own politburos are not yet ready to hand over power to the proletariat. And where did Mugabe learn his politics? He may suggest that they are all about hating colonialism and the British Empire; but we shouldn't forget what he did in Matabeleland when they questioned his policies, after Zimbabwe won independence.

As a final thought, Brown and all his cohorts in Europe don't want to hear their electorates' opinion on the EU either; so can we be too critical of Beijing and Moscow? Can we?


Pictures of happiness as Royal visit brightened up a show to remember


From: BJ Cussons, Curly Hill, Ilkley.

IN contrast to our daily diet of media misery, your pictures of the Queen and Prince Philip at the Great Yorkshire Show were a wonderful tonic (Yorkshire Post, July 11). May we all have as much to give out as they do when we reach our 80s.

The pictures of both they and those they talked to reflect a happiness we rarely seem to see nowadays. The sheer joy also on the faces of those pictured said it all. It made one feel there is still hope for our people and our country.

Well done to all the Great Yorkshire Show officials, workers and competitors who kept the show on the road despite the disappointing weather.

View and buy the full range of pictures taken by our photographers by visiting yorkshirepost.co.uk or contact our photosales department on telephone 0113 238 8360.


Cyclists who put themselves in danger on the road


From: Olivia Charlesworth, St Michael's Way, Addingham.

I would like to bring everyone's attention to the danger on the roads in the local area in the hope they can be forewarned.

Driving home at around seven in the evening last Thursday, we were about seventh in a row of cars driving slowly, below the speed limit, from Burley.

We finally realised what the hold up was when we saw a cluster of cyclists stretched across the left-hand side of
the road.

As far as I am aware, cycling proficiency, which is taught to small children in primary school, tells us to stay in single file at the side of the road; a rule even the children clearly understand.

For those adults who may not have had such a lesson, the Highway Code also, which by law needs to be thoroughly understood before entering onto the roads, tells us to "never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends". They were breaking the law and it's
that simple.

One straggler at the back at one point decided it was all too much just before the bypass and performed a U-turn on the right-hand side of the road in front of an oncoming car and then mounted the pavement.

Did he at least signal to do this? Of course not, don't be so silly, a flap of his arm with no looking around is surely sufficient! The other Highway Code rule to never "ride in a dangerous, careless or inconsiderate manner" clearly was just not important enough to be adhered to here!

What became more annoying for us cars, and so much more dangerous for the cyclists, was that they continued in this fashion all the way down the bypass to Addingham, leaving some cars too worried the group was too wide to even bother overtaking.

This wasn't a scheduled, official race, but seemed more to be like a club for enthusiasts.

I hope one of them is reading this. I would like to ask them to be aware of their own safety on the road. I would like them to read the Highway Code. I would like them to ask their kids what they learnt in their cycling proficiency tests. I would like them to show consideration for the law. I would like them to show consideration and respect for the tax-paying drivers that the road was intended for.