SIR: I am in total agreement with the letter recently about the Western World only being rich because of the nuclear power industry and that poorer countries' slave labour allows for luxuries such as coffee, tea to be sold in our shops thousands of miles away from their origin.

Last week I heard a politician state that the royal yacht is going to be built as it promotes Britain overseas. This is a very lame excuse as many countries don't have one and if Britain's wealth does rely on a yacht, God help us.

A fresh start has to be made in the world of politics.

I was brought up in a poor country (Bulgaria) but life was much more simple there.

Fattima Opel, Lostock.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.