Sir, - While I have to agree that sadly, in some quarters, their does appear to be a decline in the manners and moral fibre of Britain, I would take issue with J.P. Duggan's comments on the reception of Mr Blair's speech at the Women's Institute (June 20th).
The reaction of the WI was one of restrained anger at a politician who has failed to meet the manifesto promises on which he and his government were elected - a government whose actions, notwithstanding the excellent work that has been done so far in Northern Ireland, have arguably gone a long way in aiding the decline of morals in Britain.
Is it to be supposed that any unhappy section of the electorate are expected to give a standing ovation to every politician who uses them as a platform in an attempt to boost their own popularity, simply because they are in a position of authority? I believe this situation was encouraged in the former Soviet Union.
As an English person living in Ireland, I am strongly aware of the way in which the actions of English football hooligans are reported in Europe. I am genuinely ashamed of their disgraceful actions, to the point where I could find no objection to England being disqualified from Euro 2000. However, I would kindly ask J.P. Duggan not to compare the manners of an entire nation with those of these barbarous thugs. - Yours, etc.,
Les Bourne, The Gatehouse, Broadford, Co Clare.