I NOTE that Jack Straw feels that Mary Bell, and the author and publishers of the book on her, are solely to blame for the terrible results of the decision to pay Ms Bell money from the book.

To remind readers of these results, these were that an army of reporters from newspapers who had offered Ms Bell money in the past, but who now affected moral indignation that anyone should do so, descended on the Bells' house, necessitating the severe trauma of discovering the truth about her mother being visited on an entirely innocent 14-year-old girl. Her life in ruins, the said girl was then forced into hiding, as in the opinion of the police she had been placed in physical danger.

If I understand Mr Straw correctly, it would seem that he feels that, given the publication of the book and the decision to pay Mary Bell, the actions of these newspapers were perfectly correct and in order.

If this is not what Mr Straw thinks, I would suggest he makes this clear as early as possible. If it is what he thinks, he is grossly unfitted to be Home Secretary or to hold any other position of authority, and all MPs of goodwill should call on him to resign at once.

David Clinton,

19 Hazel Park,

Hamilton.

May 4.