THERE is no better justification to fight to maintain and expand jury trials against trial by judges than the recent Hutton Inquiry.

Despite damning evidence, much of which is in the public domain, Hutton still managed to come up with a whitewash, which does not fool anyone who has any intelligence.

This should not surprise us since Blair appointed him and, in the past, such investigations by judges into government activities such as Denning's investigation into the Profumo scandal and the original Bloody Sunday Inquiry also resulted in whitewashes.

The signs are already there that the most disreputable government in by lifetime is going to use this report as an excuse to further emasculate an already over-regulated press.

Hopefully, there will be enough public support and enough resolution in the media to resist this, but the signs do not look promising with the totally unnecessary resignations of the Chairman and Director General of the BBC.

PAUL SMITH, Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley.