AS an old soldier of the 1939 war in the 51st Highland Division, I think what we need is a totally new crime definition for what I call 'unacceptable behaviour'.

For example a 93-year-old is in hospital after a young burglar battered him, a VAT inspector is murdered by a burglar in his own home and a man in Leeds is killed after asking directions.

If the Dunblane killer of 16 children had lived, the so-called authorities would have treated him like a prized antique and looked after him at public expense.

I'm fed up to the back teeth with politicians of all parties talking about firm government and getting tough with the criminal for unacceptable behaviour. So I call upon everyone who wants justice to demand the return of the birch and some form of death penalty for murder and unacceptable behaviour.

If this means getting out of Europe then we should get out. Don't trust any party which talks glibly but promises nothing. Failing that why not get some politicians over from Singapore - they know what to do.

The let's-offend-no-one brigade has had its day and what a sorry mess they have left. So who has the guts to do what is right and restore the country to the normal decent hard working members of a once-great country?

Len Rushton

Bowland House

Larkhill

Blackburn

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