THE country is in financial crisis and Britain owed about £49billion long before the so-called global crisis took over. Individual debt runs to £1trillion, more than the whole of industry.

That is why, instead of the Government inventing new taxes, they will have to make savings. May I suggest the following:

Cut MPs to say 200.

Discard ministerial cars.

Stop payments to local and county councillors, except legitimate expenses.

Discard mayoral and council cars.

Disband all quangos.

Revert to being a trading nation only with the European Union, ending the need for British MEPs.

Disband the 'elf and safety executive and all related positions in town halls

Stop the £800million now being spent on public sector non-jobs e.g. Discipline Resources Director, Movement of People Co-ordinator and Programme Manager for National Supporting People Value Improvement Programme.

Tear up the EU Convention on Human Rights and systematically run down political correctness.

Hire civilians to carry out police paperwork, which would free officers to show a presence on the streets, instead of photographing crime.

Free prison places (circa 14,000) by deporting non-British prisoners.

Stop all appeals.

Deport illegal immigrants immediately.

Stop all immigration and freedom of movement immediately until we sort out the mess we've already got.

At least it is a start. With the redistributed formerly wasted money, students, pensioners, lower paid workers and workers higher up the scale could all be helped and taxpayers would be able to spend more of their own hard-earned money in a much better way than the Government.
Gordon Tomlinson,
Dene House Road,
Seaham

Appalling negativity
HAVING read the leaflet on the bridge consultation, I was appalled at the negativity from the labour group.

The council have made a rod for their own back. It was this same Labour group who promised us something special, even using public money to run a competition to ensure we had an iconic design.

So why this about-face, by the Labour group? We see threats of council tax rises, while they refuse to disclose how they came to their figures with our money.

Fact is, all major projects have inflation factored in, Government rules demand it and this design although iconic in looks, is conventional in engineering terms.

If Labour can't deliver this bridge how can they be trusted to deliver on things such as the late-running Vaux site?
Coun Christopher Fairs

Joined-up thinking
I REFER to the letter from John Tumman (Echo, Sept 20). At long last, a professional town planner in Sunderland has, by word and artist's impression (a pretty little picture), identified that development of the Vaux site cannot go anywhere without a Sunderland Strategic Transport Corridor (SSTC) located on the north edge of the Vaux site, to connect the south radial route via the Gill Bridge ravine and on to Farringdon Row.
This connectivity with the city's commercial centre provides direct access to European Way and the metro underpass for a new bridge at Claxheugh.
It vindicates the reasonable formal objection to the SSTC as proposed via Silksworth Row that was submitted by the Inland Revenue.
It safeguards the potential for regenerating engineering and port services on our precious river Wear for future generations of Sunderland residents … and of course. the thousands of permanent jobs that come with wealth-creating manufacture and trading.
This progressive joined-up thinking opposes the absurd conceptions of the Sunderland arc and the Sunderland city's appointed architectural consultants. The arc model should be seen by the public in a prominent place, e.g., the library.
Ron McQuillan,
Hylton Castle,
Sunderland

You kindly people
THIS is an open letter to the people of Sunderland and South Tyneside to say a huge and heartfelt thank you for the massive amount of support shown for myself and my kennels at our annual dog show recently.
It is commonplace for many organisations and charities to both malign and attack the North East and its residents as the worst area in the country for animal cruelty.
We are far from perfect. However, I could not do the job I do, and help the amount of dogs I do, without the help I get from you. I may care for and look after the dogs on a daily basis but I can only take it so far. It is you, the people, who re-home these needy dogs and the people who came to our show, in the knowledge that all the money raised goes to benefit these animals, that play a large part.
I could not do half the things I have to do without the support and help from the people who live in this area. Yes, there are a lot of people who put this area down but a dog at a time we can pull it back.
For every knock down I get I come up stronger and more determined to make it better for the dogs of this area and with your help I can.
If you are looking for a dog, think of the strays who are dying to give you love before you pay hundreds of pounds for a pedigree pup. And to the people who are struggling with a dog, think before you dump him or her in the gutter. It is never guaranteed that the dog will be found and cared for, but if you are willing to take that risk you are not worth the love that dog has for you.
I am proud to be from this area (Houghton born and bred) and am proud of the difference we can, and did, make on Sunday to the futures of these dogs. Thank you!
S Wilkinson,
Kennel Manager,
Cleadon Kennels

Man the lifeboats
GORDON Brown seems a desperate man bringing back Peter Mandelson into the Labour Party Cabinet a third time.
Then Margaret Beckett, David Blunkett and Shep the Dog!
What about 2 Jags Prescott?
At this rate Tony Blair may be back on board. Man the lifeboats everyone.
This Labour Government is lurching from side to side like a ship without a rudder, heading for disaster. Captain Brown, like his ship, has lost control. It's heading for the rocks with all hands.
D Wright,
Roker,
Sunderland