ALAN Chadwick, who it would seem from his address, is a farmer, presumably gets his diesel at 45p a litre cheaper than the general public. The 'hard-working honest members of society' who picketed the refineries, get VAT back on their fuel charges and help with the road tax, so I believe. We also have one of the lowest rates of income tax in Europe.

I can well understand the general public, who do not get tax relief on fuel, being pretty upset at the escalating costs, but not farmers, who are also subsidised to the tune of 23 billion a year, so I am told.

Bullies, in my book, are people who threaten weaker, more vulnerable people than themselves. By staging these blockades, hauliers and farmers did just that. Don't just take my word for it, ask the doctors who were forced to put hospitals on red alert.

Thousands were threatened because services such as meals-on-wheels had to be cancelled. Carers who depended on petrol were threatened with having to leave the people who depend on them to cope on their own.

No one knew how long the blockades were to go on for. Panic set in among the general public. Think how the more vulnerable people felt?

There may not have been any bullying on the picket lines, but these people knew what they were doing.

Yes, peaceful protests are an integral part of our democracy, but should be used responsibly. No one would expect medical staff to picket hospitals. Some jobs carry too much responsibility to even think about withholding labour. Hauliers, in my opinion, come into this category.

We cannot have a country where specific groups rule government, simply because they are in jobs that are vital to the welfare of the nation. These people should accept their responsibilities and, like the rest of us, object by writing to their MPs. If that doesn't work, they can, if they think fit, object through the ballot-box. Now that's democracy!

Pensioners have made their case for a better pension an even bigger issue of concern to the Government than fuel tax. Delegates at the Labour Party Conference voted against the Government on the issue. Pensioners didn't picket refineries, or put hospitals on red alert, or bring the nation to its knees, costing the country millions and almost ruining some small companies. No, they did it by writing to MPs and to local newspapers. The power of the pen!

Brian Derbyshire

Ribchester Grove