Why I stand up for Judy's criticism of gentlemen

I WAS amused at Judy Finnigan's comment in the Richard and Judy column regarding commuters who fail to give up their seats on public transport to pregnant women ("Go on behave like a gent", June 12).

She rues the fact that men in particular have lost the art of behaving like gentlemen.

While I would not disagree with this statement, Judy must appreciate that many women in this day and age have stopped behaving like ladies.

It brings to mind the story of the man who graciously offered his seat on a bus to a standing female passenger. In a rather haughty manner the woman said to him: "I suppose you are doing this because I am a lady."

"No," the man replied, "I am doing it because I am a gentleman."

John Vinnicombe,
Cardiff

National Lottery could help fund essential medicines

A LOT has appeared in the Daily Express about essential drugs being withheld from patients in order to save money. This policy is an absolute scandal.

I suggest that a drug fund is set up, financed by the National Lottery, which is supposed to help good causes. What better cause than saving lives and easing suffering? Why not allocate £1million each week to a ring-fenced fund managed by a special panel of senior doctors?

Hubert Davies,
Southport, Merseyside

Lessons on wearing high heels should get the boot

I WRITE regarding your article "High heels classes for girls" (June 9) about the Sexy Heels In The City course at South Thames College in London.

If health and safety officials can ban the playing of conkers in school then they should be banning such silly lessons - and high-heeled shoes from sale in shops.

Alan Gray,
By e-mail

How Cameron could soften the pain of spending cuts

FOLLOWING his warnings that Britain's financial problems are much worse than expected, I can think of several ways that David Cameron could soften the pain.

How about axeing all State benefits paid to non-British nationals and withholding billions in foreign aid? If someone has to feel the pain, why should it be the British people? Most of us accept that change is coming but it has to be in every aspect of government spending not just those parts that will hurt our own poor and needy.

Barrie Warren,
By e-mail

Hypocrite Balls helped to land us in this mess

ED Balls is now telling the British people that the last government, of which he was part, did allow too many migrants into the UK. What a hypocrite he is ("Cheek of it! Balls says: We messed up on immigration", June 7).

Labour, with Balls serving as Gordon Brown's long-time henchmen, wanted to ensure it got the votes of these migrants without any thought for us, the hard-working  taxpayers of the UK.

Labour failed to realise what effect so many migrants would have on housing, the NHS and schools. We can now see what a dire state our country is in.

I cannot see how Prime Minister David Cameron is going to get us out of this mess. Many people feel their towns have been taken over by migrants.

Labour's open-door policy was a catastrophic mistake and unless the Government tackles this huge problem we will become one of the poorest countries in the western world when we used to be one of the richest.

Ann Masters,
By e-mail

Ant and Dec's chemistry proves a winning formula

READER Colin Burleigh does not get it with Ant and Dec (Letters, June 2). It's not so much their comments as the cheeky, affectionate camaraderie between the two.

Not all of Morecambe and Wise's dialogue was remotely funny but once again it was the chemistry and Ant and Dec certainly have it.

I don't know anyone who doesn't love them. They are particularly funny when hosting I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here but they can also be serious when the programme warrants it.

They have done documentaries on serious subjects and been extremely professional. There again, the amount of work they get and the awards on their mantlepiece prove how well loved they are.

So I'm afraid people like Mr Burleigh are in the minority.

Maureen Leadley
By e-mail

Cancelling 2012 Olympics one way to reduce deficit

WITH the Government cracking down on wasteful public spending, is there still time to cancel the 2012 Olympics?

Such a sacrifice would mean less debt for future generations, improve the UK's credit rating and get us out of the economic mess in record time.

While the coalition is about it, why doesn't it dock the pay of former Labour ministers to help pay off the deficit? Just a thought.

K Jedynak
Birmingham

Clegg should not be in a position to run country

I WAS appalled to see the carve-up of the Tory manifesto resulting from the Lib Dem coalition.

The pledges in the original manifesto have been toned down or scrubbed altogether, yet those were the pledges upon which votes were cast. Given the election result, it would have been appropriate to offer Mr Clegg a lesser policy-making ministry but certainly not the post of Deputy Prime Minister.

No one seems to have cottoned on to the fact that, in the absence of David Cameron from Downing Street for whatever reason, the country will be left with a member of a minority party at the helm, a situation that should never have been allowed to happen.

E Woodford
Hemel Hempstead, Herts


The Curator writes: Allow me to share with you a scene from 10 Downing Street which occurred this very morning.


DAVID CAMERON:
Yes, removal man, put the pot plant over there, just next to the blow-up Douglas Hurd sex doll and the book of Evil Secret Plans.


SAMANTHA CAMERON:
Phew, this moving in to 10 Downing Street lark is a right pain in the bottom. And I'm heavy with child, so it's even more difficult. I'm just going to have a sit down and read the letters page of the Daily Express... Fucking hell, Dave! Look at this!


DAVID CAMERON:
What is it, my very posh, if tattooed and coarse, wife?


SAMANTHA CAMERON:
E Woodford of Hemel Hempstead says that if you're out of the country, Nick Clegg will be in charge.


DAVID CAMERON:
Margaret's cock! I had never cottoned on to that fact.

Why do celebrity chefs chuck about wrong words?

WHY do celebrity chefs use inappropriate words to describe their preparations when cooking?

Words used are 'throw', 'chuck' even 'dump'. What is wrong with 'put' or 'place'?

Do they really throw or chuck their ingredients into the bowl?

Kenneth Bland

via email

An insult to allow Chinese to make our Olympic film

TWO more years to go until the Olympics and I wonder how many more embarrassments the great British public will have to endure.

The first big embarrassment was at the closing ceremony of the last Olympics in China. A red bus, nice idea, an ageing rocker and a dance troupe who quite frankly looked so threatening in their hoodies I should imagine it would put a lot of people off coming to the UK.

Then of course there is the famous Olympic logo and the two zany-looking mascots ("One-eyed monsters? No just the Olympic mascots", May 20)

They are meant to appeal to children but I could think of far nicer images to create than these two weirdos.

Now we find out a Chinese company is behind the animation of these two ("British firms' fury as 2012 Olympics promo film is made in China", May 24).

How insulting to the British animation industry. I would love to know exactly who approves these very odd, very un-British ideas, and quite frankly I dread what is to come in the opening and closing ceremonies. I think I may have to keep the television firmly off for these two events which I usually enjoy very much.

Jennifer Attwood

Maidenhead, Berks

Seven-year-old is keeping art of letter writing alive

WITH regards to your article regretting the decline of letter-writing as a vital means of communication, I have an amusing story to relate ("The last word... fine art of letter writing dying out", May 21).

After the election, my lovely seven-year-old grandson took it upon himself to write to David Cameron to congratulate him and wish him luck for the future. He also said that he was very, very, very glad Gordon Brown had resigned. The funny part? His parents are Lib-Dems.

M Haynes,

Plymouth

Room 101, May 23, 2010

I WOULD really like to banish people who affect a lisp for no good reason. If they truly had a speech impediment, I'm sure they'd wish they hadn't.

M. Tebb

Pudsey, W Yorks