Mr Tagai and Mr de Menezes

there is much legitimate outrage at the death of the Japanese cameraman. Shot for taking pictures of people trying to secure freedom from a military regime.Can some people now understand why there is so much anger in this country over the shooting of the very innocent Brazilian, Mr de Menezes who was shot in the head a number of times, six if the reports are to be believed. What had he done to deserve such a fate and yet the perpertrators have walked free without even a proper trial. There is a trial over health and safety issues but please!The same is happening in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Innocent people are being killed without trial on the basis that they seek to remove from their occupied country a group of western imperialists who are there against the wishes of the people. Gordon Brown must announce the immediate withdrawal of all the troops because, as I have said before, what is the point.Oh yes why don't we train them so that they can do the dirty work. Just like the trained soldier who killed Mr Nagai, the innocent Japanese photographer in Burma.

Exeter City Council

now I know that sometimes I can be accused of being slightly arrogant in some of my views but as I look at the results so far of the David Leaman poll on the thisisexeter web site vote at 5.00 where the current status is two thirds in favour of evicting David then I have to say I now think that the residents of Exeter who have voted are, not to put too fine a point on it, not only totally lacking in compassion but, well ever so slightly stupid. I now realise why the education system in this country has failed!You have kindly printed some of my letters on this issue so with the result of the popular vote let's kick David out. Go on, make him leave the family home. However, when it happens to you don't come running to me. Let us now take some serious action against Sylvia Hardy and the rest of the council tax defaulters. Bankrupt them! Come on Exeter City Council let's have some action taken against those not paying their full council tax. Kick them out.Futhermore, get rid of the Big Issue salespeople on the streets of our great City. Angry, you bet I am.Can Exeter also take some robust action on giving travellers and Gypsies a site with full amenities. Come on councillors support fully the movement of migrants into the City, remember the Gateway Protection Scheme where Somali families were to be relocated to the City. Well come on, kick David out of his home to progress the scheme. There is a housing shortage in Exeter of that there can be no doubt but is this really the solution, to evict an elderly white male from his home.As you care for your elderly relative consider what has happened to David Leaman and weep, because you may as well stop now and hand them over to social services. I demand that councillors write to the Echo saying how many rooms they have and how many people live in their house, underoccupied you bet.How many of these councillors could maintain their standard of living without money from the taxpayer and what do they approve of, the eviction of David Leaman, well shame on you. The opportunity to really say what you think is when some councillors come up for election next year and I think that the people of Exeter will then tell councillors what they really think by kicking them off the gravy train which is Exeter City Council. Pigs with noses in the trough was a well known phrase from earlier times, only the cap still fits. Shame on you, because now we really know what the soldiers are dying for in foreign fields. Democracy and a land fit for heroes.

Poor Parking in Exeter

there is something which is worse than all the litter on our streets. There is something worse than the chewing gum discolouring the pavements. Worse even than those who will not, or who forget to pay their council tax. It is parking vehicles on the pavement. The selfish inconsiderate individuals who put at danger the young and old by their actions should be named and shamed. Maybe the Echo would like to start by allowing readers to submit pictures of vehicles inconsiderately parked so that the owners can be known to all the readers. Mothers pushing prams are forced onto the road, the short sighted or blind knock themselves on wing mirrors and the like, so please consider others when parking and let us please have some sort of enforcement.

No Parades

one could hardly fail to notice the press reports relating to the head of the British army noting the difference between the treatment of returning soldiers in America, flags and parades, as against the British troops when they return.What I am appalled at is that he totally fails to understand the reasons why! The illegal war against Iraq was an American invasion with our troops in attendance and was all about revenge for the Twin Towers attack. It never was about weapons of mass destruction. The ensuing occupation by Briish and American troops is nothing but an absolute disaster. We must stop thinking that we are doing any good. People who collaborate with us are subject to death and torture. The insurgents are freedom fighters trying to get us to leave their country, no different to the resistance fighters in WWII in France and other occupied countries. Now that we have retreated to the Basra airbase what is the point, what are we doing and why should the soldiers be given a parade. All they do is get in a firefight, call up the airforce which then bombs villages and homes killing innocent women and children. Sorry, but there must be no parades attended by self serving pathetic politicians basking in the 'glory' of our ignominious, and justified, defeat.

Election now

Gordon Brown must announce at the labour party conference the date on which he will hold a general election. It is totally unacceptable for him to continue without getting a legitimate mandate from the people of this country.Tony Blair had gone to the country with the express announcement that he would serve a full term, he did not. We now have the discussions about whether or not there should be a referendum over the European Treaty. May I say that as this is a treaty which needs ratification in parliament and I humbly suggest that labour MPs, who will ultimately decide this contentious issue, should demand that Gordon holds an election and each person wanting to be elected, from whichever political party, should declare whether or not they would vote in favour or against this treaty. That is the only fair way if there is not to be, as Gordon says, a referendum.Finally, we must be told what our brave soldiers are now doing in Iraq. There has been no news since they retreated to the airbase so everything must be going well, so why are we still in Iraq at all, furthermore, if it is now safe why can't Prince Harry be sent there, as he always wanted to go. End the occupation and bring the troops home, or will they now be sent to Afghanistan, another disaster waiting to happen.

Election now

Gordon Brown must announce at the labour party conference the date on which he will hold a general election. It is totally unacceptable for him to continue without getting a legitimate mandate from the people of this country.Tony Blair had gone to the country with the express announcement that he would serve a full term, he did not. We now have the discussions about whether or not there should be a referendum over the European Treaty. May I say that as this is a treaty which needs ratification in parliament and I humbly suggest that labour MPs, who will ultimately decide this contentious issue, should demand that Gordon holds an election and each person wanting to be elected, from whichever political party, should declare whether or not they would vote in favour or against this treaty. That is the only fair way if there is not to be, as Gordon says, a referendum.Finally, we must be told what our brave soldiers are now doing in Iraq. There has been no news since they retreated to the airbase so everything must be going well, so why are we still in Iraq at all, furthermore, if it is now safe why can't Prince Harry be sent there, as he always wanted to go. End the occupation and bring the troops home, or will they now be sent to Afghanistan, another disaster waiting to happen.

Exeter and Princesshay

may I first of all congratulate the developers and the architects for their efforts to deliver a prestigious development called Princesshay. However, I would have thought that it would have been the perfect time to redefine the whole area by giving it a new name. Too many of us oldies will forever refer back to the old Princesshay and its history.A criticism will be the lack of cover down the whole concourse, as the rain falls in sheets as I write this letter many will, I am sure, be sharing my view. What now becomes an imperative is the demolition of the old Debenhams and the revelopment of the bus and coach station. I personally do not accept that the Debenhams site should be retained for any reason, it is after all an atrocity, bar none, on the Exeter skyline. So, come on councillors, and officers, who want to bask in the glory of Princesshay let us have a definitive statement on the old Debenhams and the coach station, or have the owners of Princesshay (Land Securities) demanded that there must be no competition to the new development for a number of years.Finally, I understand that there is, in fact, no affordable, or social housing, on the site but that it has been built in Cheke Street next to the new Post Office. We certainly cannot have the rich and poor mixing now can we. Oh, and exactly where is the Post Box outside the new Post Office for late posting.

Northern Rock

now I don't want to add to the panic over failing banks but should we really believe what we are being told bythese, so called, experts, and this includes government ministers and economists. One of the essentials of banking is that you never, never, borrow short and lend long because the rates of interest on short term loans will get very expensive as soon as competitors understand how stupid you have been.Now, when executives and the boards of companies make mistakes then they should pay for it with their jobs, and definitely no compensation. The same unfortunately goes for employees because unfortunate though it may be they, like our soldiers in foreign places, did as they were told, that is they followed orders, even though they knew, if they had any education at all, that what they were doing would fail. Remember, ognorance is no defence.So, just like when we were told that Equitable Life was no problem, trust us we are experts, we are being told to keep our money in the bank, everything is great. Well do some research and find out who were the ones who transferred their money out of Equitable Life just before the court judgement went against it that caused the collapse! OK I will save you the trouble, yes it was the member of Parliaments Pension Scheme! Why, now we are being told that the present situation was known to the government for six weeks before we were told that Northern Rock was safe. I wonder who could possibly have taken their money out before the general public became aware.