WHEN Tony Blair came to power I was delighted and have since participated in a number of activities including business events and appearances in the first business manifesto and a party political broadcast.

For many years I have felt uncomfortable with America’s unflinching support of Israel. Like many I was not supportive of the invasion of Iraq but felt that Blair believed it was the right thing to do at the time. When it became apparent relatively quickly that it had been an error, I did not turn on him as many did. I have, however, watched recent events with increasing dismay. The unequivocal American support for Israel is of no surprise but Blair’s refusal to listen to his cabinet or his party (not to mention the public) is unacceptable.

As a consequence of his unwavering support of Bush, against our national interest, I have withdrawn my membership of the Labour party.

Bill Gleave
Chairman, BGH, Bolton

BOX OFFICE CARNAGE: Michael Portillo (Strange but true: with Blair gone, Britain will be weaker, Comment, last week) veered between support for Blair’s “vision” of the true scope of the Islamic threat, and admitting that by helping to topple Saddam Hussein he had removed a bulwark (however unsavoury) against Iranian post-Shah aggression.

He is correct in the latter but Blair’s stance is, as usual, dangerously limited. He is back in his messianic neocon mindset, doubtless fuelled by being “big box-office” in America, which has done this country so much damage. His “crescent of extremism” is not limited to the Middle East (the umma stretches from Indonesia to the Maghreb) nor is this a new phenomenon.

Blair states that we should be more forward with our western, ideals. But this is surely undermined by the decline of our civic standards, over which he has presided, which is re-fuelling Islamic repugnance at home, where our brand of multiculturalism has made us vulnerable. The carnage in Lebanon is further fuelling resentment.

Blair is long on rhetoric (in the pejorative classical sense), but short on the wider historical and international understanding.

Ian Wylie
Bodmin, Cornwall

GLOBAL END GAME: Portillo gave an excellent account of where we are today and how we got there. Unfortunately the where are we going is uncertain and the departure of an internationalist prime minister will make Britain weaker.

Blair is fighting the anti-Christ in the Middle East, which he feels is ready to consume western culture, and he may have a point. He, of course, needs to be close to George W Bush. We have entered the start of the international end game; agreements need to be made regarding the new supply of Trident or similar missiles for the proposed new fleet of strategic submarines. I hope we reap some benefit from Blair’s work on the international arena.

Gordon Christian
Banstead, Surrey

RECORD EXTREMISM: Just because Blair, like Portillo and others, understands that the biggest threat to world peace comes from Islamic extremism does not mean that he is making it better. Who is winning since 9/11? Surely that should be our measurement of his record, not his speech-writing skills.