However to be a force no political party will be able to

However, to be “a force no political party will be able to ignore”, the retired will not be helped by being a majority, but instead by being a large element of the few floating voters in the few marginal constituencies. And I expect the same honesty of Loyalist terrorists too.DR MARTIN ROSENDAALLONDON NW5 The pensioner vote Sir: I much enjoyed and sympathised with Mr Douglas’s letter on pensioner power (6 January). When Sinn Fein hands over the murderers of Robert MacCartney and returns the Northern Bank its £26m then I shall have evidence that his band of terrorists has changed its spots. The five standing Defence Advisory Notices on the publication and broadcasting of national security information agreed by this independent Committee (see www.dnotice .uk) constitute a purely voluntary code, one without any form of legal sanction.

Any suggestion that the media has been “gagged” on this issue is plain wrong.ANDREW VALLANCEAIR VICE-MARSHAL, SECRETARY, DEFENCE PRESS AND BROADCASTING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, LONDON SW1 Sinn Fein’s excuses Sir: I searched Gerry Adams’s “The time for excuses in Northern Ireland is over” (Podium, 4 January) for some self criticism. It has not.The advice given to editors on this issue was not offered by the Government, but by me on behalf of the Defence Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee. But perhaps those who object to PC understand, as the dissenters in the Soviet Union did, that the ideology they were fighting was against human nature.LILY BROOKSANDREW RICHARDSONWOODFORD GREEN, ESSEX No gag order issued over MI6 agent Sir: In the article “Terror suspects describe alleged torture ‘in front of MI6 agents’ ” (4 January) Elinda Labropoulou claimed “The British Government has issued a gagging order to prevent the publication of the alleged British agent’s name”. Under Soviet communism, dissidents were sent to mental institutions.

For if one argued against the state, it was to argue also against the objectives of the state (which were of course wonderfully idealistic), and therefore you had to be mad to do so The parallel with modern political correctness is obvious. If you object to PC then you are self-evidently a racist or a homophobe. Their work is part of the progress towards good governance and democracy which the ambassador desires. They should be released immediately.RICHARD MILLERDIRECTOR, ACTIONAID UK LONDON N19 Political correctness and human nature Sir: Your leading article on political correctness (4 January) prompts us to write. They have been detained since early November, with minimal access to lawyers.

They were eventually charged on 21 December but no evidence was produced against them.The day after you published a letter from the Ethiopian ambassador (3 January), Daniel and Netsanet were refused bail and sent back to the cells for a further seven weeks. These two social activists are not criminals and have not been involved in violence in any way. The whiff of scandal already hangs around some of the newer member states (and some older ones), let us work now to keep Abramoff out of Brussels.With best wishes for a scrupulous New Year.RAFFAELLO PANTUCCIRESEARCH ASSOCIATE EUROPE PROGRAM CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES WASHINGTON, DC Ethiopian activists must be freed Sir: You have drawn attention (report, 23 December) to the case of the two Ethiopian anti-poverty campaigners, Daniel Bekele of ActionAid and Netsanet Demessie, who heads one of our partner organisations. Once this happens, weak legislators will undoubtedly fall prey to unscrupulous and predatory lobbyists working the system.While the Abramoff scandal gives Europeans an excellent opportunity to cackle at American shortcomings, a lesson should be drawn and protections should be put in place now to prevent such a thing ever occurring in Europe. Second, does the power even lie in Brussels? If the last year has taught Europeans anything, it is that power in the EU rests firmly within the capitals.Nevertheless, the legislation in Europe is gradually taking shape, and the time will come when Brussels will reign with a firmer grip.