IT is well accepted - or, at least, it was before this "no-fault" government came to power - that the buck stops with the boss.

The head of the Metropolitan Police had to carry the can for his minions' mistakes. Then, why not Jack Straw?

Had he read the report of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence in full - and he should have - then his own legal training should have alerted him to the likely consequences of it naming people who gave information to the police and brought them to the attention of the judge who conducted the inquiry.

This crass bungling has done Mr Straw no good especially after his call for people "to have a go."

But how much damage has he done to law and order by frightening off people from giving police information to help them with their investigations?

Mr Straw had no other option but to run, for it is highly unlikely that a Home Secretary has ever had need to appear in the House of Commons twice in one week for separate foul ups in the same week over one inquiry.

Surely, because of the gravity of this depressing situation, it would have been more appropriate, no matter what, for him to have placed himself before parliament.

His actions have done nothing for democracy or his ambitions.

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.