Readers' letters - March 29

She was part of the team that brought about the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

She was instrumental in making this possible by convincing Republicans and Nationalists that this was a different sort of British Government.

When Loyalist paramilitaries began to express their doubts about the peace process, Mo bravely visited them in the Maze prison.

She managed to prevent them from pulling the plug on the process.

Mo Mowlam also pushed for the inquiry into ‘Bloody Sunday’ in which the British Army killed 13 people in Derry in 1972.

At the 1998 Labour conference, when Prime Minister Tony Blair made his speech and mentioned Mo’s name, she received a standing ovation.

Mo revealed in her autobiography she believed that incident led to her dismissal.

She was replaced by Blair’s mate Peter Mandelson as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

Mo Mowlam’s contribution to the peace movement in Northern Ireland should not be overlooked.

John Appleyard

Address supplied

Quality of life is more important

Re: Fresh hopes for borough to meet housing targets

Once the green areas are gone, they are gone for many years, possibly lifetimes.

It’s essential to make sure developers are not destroying forest and parkland in order to meet such targets.

Quality of life, fresh air and nature activities is very important to the health of the population.

Nature is an asset that should not be neglected.

Some area of the country have almost continual towns, like “the black country”, with little or no park areas or nature.

There are many old and decaying buildings that could be built on and developed first, even though the profits might be less.

This would preserve the quality of life and green belts, which should be of primary importance.

Miles Bellas

via Facebook

European Union a flawed concept

I am glad to hear that European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker is looking forward to “a friendly relationship” with the UK after we leave the EU.

He has told the BBC that as well as hoping to have a friendly relationship over the next decades, he is not in a hostile mood with Britain. Again I am glad to hear that.

Time will tell, of course, and there’s an awful lot of negotiations to go under the bridge first.

One thing he has said that is undoubtedly true is that the EU is not in the best form and shape it could be in.

He admits that if three, four or five more countries leave, the EU would collapse but does not believe that will happen.

Again time will tell, but the whole EU edifice is a flawed concept and collapse is its ultimate destination.

Paul Nuttall

UKIP Leader and

North West MEP

Yes to cause, no to rich celebs

A shame Comic Relief has been overshadowed by complaints of pre-watershed swearing. It used to be for all the family, back in my day.

I confess I don’t watch it as I find the millionaires telling me to donate irritating.

It’s not Comic Relief itself that irks me, rather the rich celebs.

Teddy

via email