The Journal

Independent Schools in Firing Line Again ; Voice of the North

ONCE again, the Labour chestnut of battering independent schools on account of their charitable status has reared its ugly head again, no doubt sponsored by Preacher Brown. As a parent who chooses to pay for my children to enjoy the best education on offer and who wouldn't if they could afford it? - it's worth noting that recent research suggests charitable status costs the taxpayer no more than pounds 100m a year.

Correction

Mps Who Are Giving Pigs a Bad Name ; Voice of the North

HAVING just completed George Orwell's Animal Farm for the third time, the comparison of MPs with animals in press coverage in the last months is worthy of note. This writer, having noted MPs having their noses in the trough in the past, wishes to offer an unreserved apology: to pigs.

Bring Us Sunshine ...

FOR many families, yesterday heralded the start of the holiday period as thousands of children celebrated breaking up from school. And, buoyed by predictions that we were in for a sizzling summer, many have been relishing the prospect of spending their holidays closer to home.

Car Scheme Critics Have a Fair Point

LORD Mandelson may well be frustrated by the stinging criticism his Government's support for the ailing car industry received from MPs on the Business and Enterprise Committee. However, his accusation that the MPs don't know what they are talking about" is hardly the kind of response we have the right to expect from a minister widely considered to be the second most powerful man in the Cabinet.

Benefits of Small Rural Schools ; Voice of the North

THANK you for your recent article about the difficulties faced by Eglingham School in Northumberland (The Journal, July 10). As it said, we are not in immediate danger and are determined not to let our school wither away. Something your article did not touch on is the tremendous educational advantages that small schools such as Eglingham, with their small classes, offer.

Maternity Care Was a First Class Service ; Voice of the North

I AM writing to express my gratitude to all the NHS staff involved in my care during my recent pregnancy and the birth of my son, Rafii, who came into the world on Friday July 10. All the healthcare professionals I met along the way were caring and supportive and provided a first class service.

'Wise' Men of the Fa Need Common Sense ; Voice of the North

YOU would think that people who work for the Football Association would be well versed on what happens in football in this country and would be aware that certain matches are likely to explode into violence. Newcastle and Sunderland is one such match. The 'wise men' at the FA gave permission for both teams to play on the same day in Holland. The matches were 40 miles apart, but this would be nothing for people intent on violence. This , after a plea by the Mayor of Amsterdam for a bit of comm...

Teaching Quality Is Indeed Sadly Lacking ; Voice of the North

COUNCILLOR Barrie Crowther is right to have concerns about the supervision of teaching quality (Voice of the North, July 14). After all, he does not appear to have been taught that Latin phrases do not originate in Greece. Coincidentally, while in a local post office today, I noticed a petition against the closure of a nearby school which is running short of pupils.

View of the North

Royal Goes Begging in the Name of Culture ; Je Tate

THE Assembly Rooms building in Newcastle is now 243 years old and to the best of my knowledge, is still going strong. Despite standing empty and neglected for a number of years, the building has survived due to good commercial management. It offers customers what they desire and demand to satisfy their social and cultural needs.