thank you..thank you ..thank you! david aaranovitch, you gave me priceless moments of joy when you attacked the daily mail's sickening propaganda and the way its journalists are expected to toe the line....if my son churned out rubbish like like that I would disown him...I would not even use the mail as toilet paper..

dominic, teignmouth,

“I know where you are coming from” is a cliché of which I have very little love and yet I find myself needing it when assessing the recent outpourings of David Aaronovitch in print and on television. After reading or watching, I have no idea where he is coming from other than from the random whims of his unique egoism and egotism. It is sad that he has lost his previous discipline, when he wrote with real insight.

David Barfield, Wigan, Lancs

Obviously Britain has many strong points but I suspect it's David that's out of touch if he can find anything positive to say about the way the country is governed. The Times has a lot to answer for for supporting Labour in the first place.

Tony, Chatham,

Weak column for once and somewhat odd - yes the UK has a great economic record compraed with those performing poorly (France and Germany) but that's in spite of this Government, not thanks to it. It Labour had taxed less and spent more wisely, employment and GDP would be much higher. In any event, the statistics are selctive - crime is (much) higher, taxes are now higher, health care is (much) worse and education truly dreadful. Or does David really believe that crime is down, schools are improving and most of the money showered on the NHS has improved patient care and not doctors' salaries?

Tim, London,

I agree, there is such impatience and intolerance towards the working class and interventionist politics now. But I don't think Politicians have realised how much the world has changed and that they need to focus on the things they have to do, like the home office, and not try to run things that they are not qualified for (schools and hospitals) in a 24 news/online world which cannot handle imperfection.

Want to see a private dentist on a Saturday, no problem. Want to see your GP on Saturday, forget it, you need to take a week-day morning off work. When you had to wait a long time to see a underpaid/over worked doctor you wouldn't complain so much, but now, if the GP is earning a 6 figure salary on a 9-5 job and you had to loose half a days pay to see them, you become less understanding and then you start to believe what the Mail tells you about all the other cock-ups.

Adrian, London,

I was watching this programme at the time and wondered what a stupid young woman she was. If that is the calibre of journalistic excellence of DM no wonder the paper is becoming more like a gutter press. the woman had no courtesy to stop interupting you every time you had to comment and jenny scott didnot help by allowing this woman to rant on.BBC presenter should have more controll over this. perhaps the producer has something to do with this.

nandu, bray, berks

I think it's great that we live in a country where all are free to air their views, defend their thoughts and air, for a fee, the way in which they didn't give a good account of themselves.

I think it's tragic that we live in a country where what you say is more important than what you do, for a lot of people's words hide what nature abhors: a vacuum.

David Williams, Eastnor, England

The Daily Mail is a repellent, rabble-rousing rag masquerading as a newspaper, where its editorial views are written into every news item, let alone its columns. Every day is another crisis in this rotting carcase of Britain. If only people would just take its advice! If only the Daily Mail were a political party! But it isn't, because only the terminally discontented would vote for it. I've never read anything in it which surprised me. The Times, on the other hand, is remarkable for the independent views of its writers, pace John of Bonn.

Davidv, Croydon, UK

I can't entirely agree with John, Bonn. There are still some good, independent-minded journalists around (although Aaronovitch certainly isn't one of them). As far as The Times is concerned both Matthew Parris and Simon Jenkins write their minds. Parris, in particular, is original in style and not afraid to hold up a mirror to himself and speak honestly - exactly the opposite of Aaronovitch, in fact, whose articles always seems to be predictable and defensive.

Steve, Sutton Coldfield,

David Aaronovitch complained about the "elegant, rather nice-looking woman from the Daily Mail "., but said nothing to convince us that he, rather than she, was correct in what they said.
He simply didn't like her attitude. Lèse majesté, perhaps?
Who was she, anyway?

Jan, Tavistock, UK

Hi David. I saw you on the ‘Daily Politics’ programme and I thought it was hilarious. You had absolutely no chance there, situated between a rock and the hard face. I suggest you to stick to what you know and are good at, the intelligent half an hour of political debate that is ‘Head to Head’ with the formidable but real Janet Daly. The other is really more of a snapping joust, the odd poll and a few emails thrown in, with no time allocated for real discussion. A bit like comparing the ‘Times’ to the ‘Mail’ I guess.

Talking of which, it’s hard to know what to make of Paul Dacre and his wittering about the BBC, because the odd thing is, while most of us admit to being satisfied or even fond of old Auntie, I’ve never met anyone who voluntarily admits to being a ‘Daily Mail’ reader. But, rumour has it that it’s a favourite script with those wicked comedians and early morning news presenters at the beeb, so I don’t know what he’s moaning about. Perhaps it’s because allegedly, the public only buy it for the sport and crossword.

Caz, Nottingham, GB

I seem to remember a poll taken some months ago on the state of the NHS. 40% said it had got better, 60% worse (apparently there were no "don't knows"). The question was then put to people who'd recently been in hospital. The result: 80% better, 20% worse.
We forget that just about everything we "know" outside our own experience we get from the media, and that most of what it has to tell us should be handled with very thick rubber gloves - though in the Mail's case, a radiation suit would be safer.

Ken Leyland, Liverpool, U.K.

It is absolutely true that the Mail is "a paper that is impervious to discussion or nuance"; it has a real taste for bias and oversimplification. One might not agree with every aspect of Blair, Prescott et al, but this piece is spot on.

Antony, London,

Aaronovitch again displays his astonishing slavishness to all things Blair. Apparently those who dare to disagree with the government are now guilty of "negativity". True patriots would surely only want to dwell on the shining achievements of our great leader, eh David?

Frank, London, UK

So David, we get the message. You don't like the Daily Mail. Fair enough. Now ask yourself, how would you would like it if the Daily Mail were financed by a tax of around 150 quid on essentially every household in Britain. You wouldn't like it? Right, so now you know how the rest of us feel about the Biased BBC.

Ollie, London,

One begins to despair of the Times and some of its writers
where does a Aaronovitch live certainly not in the UK.
Has he not noticed the state of our transport systems.The
shambles which is the NHS,the clownish DEFRA ,the ever
changing for the worse education system.Did he not read
the results of the EU crime survey in the Times ? come on
waken up. We are Off to hell in a socialist handcart

Colin Edgar, Bicester, England

So, one of the useful fools then?

Colin Soames, London,

It's a strange society where glib, off the cuff remarks made in haste are awarded more credence than opinions carefully considered over time.

AJ Howe, Newcastle, Tyne & Wear

So Rich, the Daily Mail 'won' the argument on Political Correctness did they? I must have missed that meeting!

Andrew, LONDON,

"In France and Germany... people are well mannered and helpful"
"The UK is no longer the centre of the world, and has not been since 1945"

Neither of these things can be blamed on our present government. Furthermore, the UK's failure to invest in our rail system goes back decades.

Andrew, London, UK

Ireland's economy has, for the past decade, been as strong, or perhaps even stronger, than that of the U.K. But, from reading the correspondence and opinion pages of our local and national newspapers, you'd think we were back in the 1970s or 80s. The broadcasting media is of a similar whingeing and pessimistic tone. Of course the country is far from being a Utopia, and some of the goings-on at all levels within the health services, really are a disgrace in a modern democracy. But very many positive improvements have taken place, yet these developments are acknowledged begrudgingly, if at all. It seems many people in these islands' are unable to admit to being happy with their lot in life, and it appears to me as if those who are best-off are least willing to do so. Is guilt the reason? or greed? or the two combined?

John Gleeson, Rearcross, Tipperary, Ireland

Fine show of weakness after the main event.The nameless Mail lady obviously had him on toast.

S Duncan, Hove,

I watched the show in question and although I agree the lady in question was rather closed-minded and 'strident', I remember thinking at the time 'that chap could do with a short course in anger management'.

One thing I do think she got right though, was the entire part about Britain being a crime -riddled toilet. Call me old fashioned if you must. It may surprise you to know that not everyone finds your brand of reckless optimism to be the best solution to our nation's disgraceful domestic state and woeful foreign policy nightmare (some might prefer to use the word 'denial' in this context). The fact remains, an awful lot of us that voted Labour at the last election see the defeat of New Labour as a damn good starting point for getting the mess cleared up. Wake up and smell the despair like the rest of us.

Terence, Cheltenham, The 51st State

Yet again David Aaronovitch relects my own views closely. I didn't vote for Tony Blair but the trashing he gets in some quarters is out of all proportion. Unfortunately I missed David's performance on The Daily Politics. Normally I only watch Wednesday's programme, which includes the Cameron v Blair slanging match, but Friday's sounds to have been more fun on this occasion.

Barry, Wallington, South London

The 53% (probably more) who actually are better off are the result of the Government's economic policies. The 63% who feel worse off are the result of Media tactics. A good example of the latter is the "crisis" in the NHS, which, while not perfect (how could it ever be?), by any sensible yardstick is very considerably more successful than it has ever been. Yet most people have been fooled into believing otherwise. Let us hope that, come the next election, we will recover our collective senses. The alternative - no, I can't bring myself ....

Richard, London,

Don' t knock the Ellesmere poster. His post may not make much sense - it may not be clear which "street" he means, whether it's just the name of a particularly dangerous pub, or if he is contrasting the street with, say, the office or the home - in which case it's probably no bad thing that the street soaks up the bulk of random violence; possibly he means to draw a comparison with other cities- Bogota, for example, or New Orleans.

He does however manage some impressively biting satire. United Soviet Socialist Republic of Western Europe! Who would ever have thought of conflating the EU with the evil empire?

Finally, don't forget that John proves that the Mail is right about the state of British education. Although to be fair, he did get most of the right letters in 'Aaronovitch' - even if not, strictly speaking, in the right order.

Peter, London, UK

Dear Mr Aranovich, if it's any consolation and if you and I are not isolated examples of questioning minds, your fight goes on at less public level whenever I discuss current affairs with my Mail reading father (and many other sitting rooms across the country). There are still some of us that challenge the hard line and uncompromising style of Mail stories and views. But the red mist usually affects my abilities to argue a clear case too.

Rona McGill, Glasgow, Scotland

The frightening thing about Mail journalists (and apparently some respondents to this blog) is that they really believe all this negativity. It doesn't take much for another Oswald Moseley to come along and all will dutifully line up as ardent believers.

Gerry Lynch, Chichester,

David I would imagine you should be well capable of putting this harridan back in her box with the strength of your argument.

Sounds to me like you lost the debate.

I was pleased to hear you say you have noticed changes within BBC editorial policy recently. Liberal attitudes there have spiralled unchecked over the last few years to the extent where the BBC worldview has become completely out of kilter with the rest of the country.

The liberal consensus that has existed in Britain for a long time is starting to break up and you actually have some opposing ideas emerging which you need to consider. A lot of these new arguments are based on evidence which makes them hard to refute.

Leftists are bound by dogma to defend certain ideas that experience tells them don't work very well. Health is one. Education is another. Dianne Abbot and Ruth Kelly are both members of the 'do as I say not as I do' camp. Put simply it is hypocrisy.

Since you have been identified with these ideas for a number of years it is then I imagine extremely difficult for you to admit when these ideas are discredited. You make your living off the back of them after all. But facing up to the inconsistencies in your utopian arguments could provide you with real benefits.

That little creature that knaws away in your guts every time you trot out the received liberal pronouncement on a given topic might shut up for a while. You may even begin to feel good about yourself.

Why not write about what you experience and see with your own eyes as a starting point? Grandstanding and philosophising just makes you seem less in touch with people. Many of them are tired of being told what they aught to think - why not now tell them the truth?

Ben, London,

The tone may be strident, and we all detest people who won't engage argument, but the Mail itself has been right about so many of the big issues of the last decade (the Euro, Iraq, immigration, tax, the EU Constitution, NHS waste, political correctness). The BBC has been firmly on the wrong side of most of these arguments.

Rich, London,

You behaved like a huffy schoolboy on the programme. Sad to read this article in the Times.

Gordon Stewart, London,

I saw the programme in question. Mr Aaronovictch came over, as he usually does, as a terribly-pleased-with-himself journalist who knows all the answers, probably without ever having done a "proper" job in his life.
His behaviour was inexcusable, and I have emailed Daily Politics requesting them to excise him from their list of "guests".
To think, at one time I had some regard for him.

Bob Edwards, Crediton, Devon

Let us be clear UK success is not the government's success. The government has squandered billions, none of its policies have produced value for money effects, PFI's are almost a criminal future drain on tax payers money, etc.
Any success we have in the economy is due to hard work, enterprise and true grit of capital and work ethics, immigrants strongly included. Despite taxes and red tape economic initiatives in theprivate sector have not been strangled. The UK could dash forward much faster without the leaded dead weights of Labour or future Cameronians.

Waclaw, Cambridge, UK

I was watching this programme at the time and wondered what a stupid young woman she was. If that is the calibre of journalistic excellence of DM no wonder the paper is becoming more like a gutter press. the woman had no courtesy to stop interupting you every time you had to comment and jenny scott didnot help by allowing this woman to rant on.BBC presenter should have more controll over this. perhaps the producer has something to do with this.

nandu, bray, berks

I agree with David Aaronovitch - the Daily Mail is a somewhat poisoned, malicious rag.
Its journalists and those who blindly spew out its opinions regardless really need to cheer up and chill out.

Anthony, Malmo, Sweden

The lady's name is Kirsty Walker and I have seen her do numerous TV interviews and I have to say that she totally out performed Mr Aaronovitch by some considerable margin, who actually came across as an ignorant man and not someone who should be representing Times readers. Mr Aaronovitch needs to go back to charm school and learn how to conduct interviews on the TV in a far more professional manner.

John Good, Leeds, West Yorkshire

David 'quality of life (in UK) is not rapidly deteriorating' Aaronovitch to 'meltdown'? If only.

Alleagra, London, UK

I'm sorry but if one compares the UK with France and Germany, sadly, in most areas the UK comes out as dysfunctional. The only area where the UK comes out relatively well is in economic performance. Unemployment figures, like most government statistics, are debatable and open to manipulation. Personally, I would accept a lower GDP for a much better quality of life such as they have in France and Germany, where people are well mannered and helpful, and public services function effectively providing quality services to the public. Health, transport, education systems spring immediately to mind. The UK is no longer the centre of the world, and has not been since 1945. Public and politicians alike need to wake up to the fact that in most areas we are falling behind in overall quality of life.

Andrew Whiting, Birmingham,

I watched that Daily Politics and found myself resenting the
egocentric arrogant attitude of David something or other He seemed to have his head firmly up his own ego. 100 points to the civilised Daily Mail lady and nul points to that awful man. He made me squirm
PS I am not Mail reader.

M Wilkinson, London,

It's a shame to read further attacks on the Daily Mail from this newspaper, where an attack on a competitor often seems to be the sole subject of a "comment" article. It's not that the Daily Mail should be defended - it shouldn't, and it's rubbish - but it smacks of manipulation and dubious professional ethics to hear one of its competitors directly attack a mainstream competitor so often. The Editor (and Rupert) must have been pleased to see you bring in the Guardian and the BBC (in a less directly critical way, admittedly) as well. As you point out, of course, that is purely coincidental.

Adrian Clark, London,

I watched the show in question and although I agree the lady in question was rather closed-minded and 'strident', I remember thinking at the time 'that chap could do with a short course in anger management'.

One thing I do think she got right though, was the entire part about Britain being a crime-riddled toilet. Call me old fashioned if you must. It may surprise you to know that not everyone finds your brand of reckless optimism to be the best solution to our nation's disgraceful domestic state andwoeful foreign policy nightmare (some might prefer to use the word 'denial' in this context). The fact remains, an awful lot of us that voted Labour at the last election see the defeat of New Labour as a damn good starting point for getting the mess cleared up. Wake up and smell the despair like the rest of us.

Terence, Cheltenham, The 51st State

The mistake is to take 'The Mail' seriously. It is designed for the poorly-educated middle-class and its contents do not merit serious debate.

Stephen Jones, Bristol, UK

I watched the programme to which Mr Aaronovitch refers. I thought that his rather surly and grumpy demeanour contributed very little to the discussion. If he wishes to do a whiewash job for Blair and New Labour he will need to make himself a little more attractive.

Anthony Back, Wellington, Telford, England

It's a bit much for a real ex-Communist to pretend that the Mail has a Marxist 'line'.
Dacre made two very important points about the BBC:It is publicly funded by law. iof you don't like the Mail then don't buy it, and that it is an multi-national news organisation with a worldwide reach.

Richard Brown, London, UK

"United Soviet Socialist Republic of Western Europe"

Genius. Where do they get these people from?

I was interested that the article criticised the Mail, not from any particular political perspective (this is not the Guardian, after all), but rather from the viewpoint of an individual who is actually interested in the issues, and wants to have an open, rational discussion about them. The problem with newspapers like the Mail, then is not their left- or right- wingedness, but the combination in them of imaginary demons and feral hatred, which is not interested in debate but only the illusory satisfaction derived from bashing 'Brussels', or 'the P.C. brigade' (I could go on...).

Absolutely no respect for others, and no respect for the debate.

Benjamin, Esher, Surrey

God save us and preserve us from that hateful rag and it's attendant saloon-bar Trotskyist and the Golf Club Stalin.
Brrr. I feel those icy, Siberian blasts already.
Give me the dear old Beeb anytime, where a warm, cosy , "liberal" ethos prevails and Shami freely debates with Jasmine and Polly.

Mark Lyndon, London, Uk

This is the pot calling the kettle black. The ends are the same whether it is the Daily Mail, this newspaper and the others in this stable, or even the BBC. Each has its own catechism. Only the style changes. Every journalist knows on each of these papers and in the BBC exactly what kind of story catches the eye of his editor and equally knows the elements needed in that story. Just as each journalist on Pravda knew what the Party meant by Truth – he didn’t have to be told – so each journalist on any newspaper or broadcast media can claim nobody tells him what to write or how to write it, they wouldn’t be in that particular job at that particular desk if they didn’t know beforehand.

John, Bonn,

I believe in Britain, among our European brothers, oops, sorry, and sisters, one is also most likely to be attacked in "the street", and burgled, although not necessarily of course, at the same time. I'm afraid, Mr. Aranovich, I'm in hearty agreement with those with whom you always disagree.

John, Ellesmere Port, United Soviet Socialist Republic of Western Europe

No sympathy for the Mail lady -who you should have named - but no kudos for you in using as the basis of a column, things you wished you had said a week ago. We all know the feeling but most of us ocercome it

ian skidmore, march, cambs

Oh Dear David,

What was it about the presence of an attractive woman that had this effect? For goodness sake man – folk like me look to people like you for balance, wisdom, judgement all articulated with some style.

I think the Mail is beneath contempt and would give it, its journalists (?) and its readers no time for anything. You get mad! Come on now – you can do better.

Blair’s fate was sealed by his success. The press built him up, they will take him down. If a camel farts in Australia it is Blair’s fault for making it break wind or not anticipating the likely hood. The BBC being sympathetic is no surprise – they lost to Blair and a brilliant but cynical play by Campbell over Iraq and they will neither forgive nor forget.

There is much that we will understand later – Northern Ireland may be one such realisation brought about by the man’s unique talents.

Read Kipling – If – and go make a coffee. It’s hard but it is inevitable and nothing to be done until this time passes. If you don’t like the heat stay out of the studio.

michael, kettering , UK

I work with a lot of depressed people in the NHS and privately. A number state that they are surprised to find they have become depressed in the last few years having never suffered any form of mental illness previously. I have found that not only are a significant proportion Daily Mail readers but that if they accept my suggestion that they read a different paper, their depression recedes. I am convinced I could get a PhD out of this. Are there any other Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, Counsellors who have drawn up statistics yet?

BOB, Welwyn, UK

Welcome to the "fair and balanced" type of reporting we have dealt with for years. From Rush Limbaugh to the Fox News Channel, you just get used to it and you begin to know what they're going to say before they do.

Tony Gordon, St. Louis, Missouri

Mr Aaronvitch,

I do not normally comment in circumstances such as this. But I would like to tell you I agree with every word you say as I have down three weeks in a row now. I think you are doing a wonderful job. Please keep it up. Don't listen to these hate filled people commenting above.

Sunil Joshi, Harrow,

What goes around comes around.

For too many years at the start of this new Labour administation the metropolitan media were hagiographic towards TB and glossed over mistakes being made (GBs pensions grab, more taxes with no pretence at value for money, multiplying meddlesome targets, burdensome regulations on business, unnecessary fiddling with criminal law etc etc).

This quiesence is now being repaid in spades - David & co took the smooth, now they must take the rough.

As for econmic stability - GB can only take credit for BoE independence in 1997. Everything achieved since then has been despite new Labour, not because of it.

Stuart Walker, Barrow-in-Furness, England

Regret I missed your rant David. I imagibe it wouldhave been fun to watch. Equally, I am surprised that you were so easily provoked - any thinking person knows where the Mail's sentiments lgenerally ie and can best be summed up as "Tory (any version) Good - Labour Bad". It was ever thus. But you are misguided if you think all in the British garden is rosy. The left-liberal establishment (house "paper" the BBC) must ask itself why some it's great social engineering ideas have failed to deliver the "multi-cultural secular dream". There is rising concern about the falsehoods, failed premises and misconceptions that inform so much of our social and political landscape currently. Worse these also inform legislation that increasingly panders to vocal minorities - a form of curltural apartheid which true liberals would reject as both anti-democratic and illiberal.

Tim, London,

Dear Bernard, prudish religious idiots who only believe in one type of family are one of the biggest problems this society has. This country may not be perfect, but it's a lot better than most places. When faced with someone spouting off dogmatic tripe by rote, anyone will get frustrated.

Let's not forget that it was the Daily Mail that ran an editorial saying how those hookers in Suffolk had it coming.

Ben, Epsom, Surrey

GDP is not a measure of the well being of a society.

Andy Haywood, Stockholm, Sweden

Bernard, you've made me chuckle:

"...every group of maniacal believers who seize power and try to bully people into their concept of a perfect world".

.. not unlike.. Daily Mail readers?

I agree with David's frustration with a media outlet that is relentlessly negative in it's output. They're obsessed with their own utopian vision of Britain as they imagine it was fifty years ago. Yet all the 'problems of modern Britain' are not new. They've been around for generations.

The stereotypical DM reader doesn't want debate. They want the power to change everything that doesn't satisfy their own narrow view of how the world should operate.

Kate, London, UK

Touché, Mr Aaronovitch. I saw the programme, and your hackles were obvious. I am at a loss as to why you lost your cool. Why could you not have just refuted her point by point? It is unusual to see a member of the centre-left being non-plussed by someone from the right - so often on the BBC we see the reverse, with panels and even audiences loaded to the Left.

Richard, Preston,

"Britain — once great — is now a toilet"

Just so - a place where it is now illegal to:
own a gun
derogate a religion
avert one's face from a CCTV camera
spank your child
speak favorably of white people
hunt with dogs
make negative comments, even in private, about other races
utter the phrase "rivers of blood."
turn off that big screen in your living room
etc., etc. - a massive historical tragedy

Lee Pefely, Peoria,

Poor diddums. Did the nasty lady from the Mail run rings round you? There there

Mod, London,

Quoting the latest edition of the "Economist",you say :"Britain has the second-lowest unemployment figures in the EU....".The unemployment statistics alone give a misleading impression of the degree of participation of the population of working age in economic activity.The last number I read showed that about 5 million adults were on public assistance ,a much higher proportion than in say Germany or France.There is an implication that many of these are in fact perfectly capable of working and should be classified as unemployed.

COLIN , Discovery Bay,

We are on the cusp of a change in direction in this country thank God. The May elections should put the tiller firmy back into the hands of people who actually do believe the same as the electoral majority - and therefore NOT the minority, which is worth saying. Your hope for "nuances " in discussion is laughable in one sense but is actually more indicative of how far away you and your ilk are from what the majority consider relevant topics for debate.
How about a nuance on GB's impact on pensions at a time when we are promoting gambling, or one on council tax and pensioners, or the typically Labour symptom driven "Respect" agenda, or whether the devolution drive is partly motivated by some desire of right-minded people to regain control of their destiny because Westminster reflects the wishes of anyone but "us" the majority. In all of these, the issues are so grave that nuances are for people whose motivation is only to entertain their brain. She was right - you were wrong

mark1, Cardiff,

David, go join the Grauniad (doubtful if they would have you) they love your wishy -washy column filling nonsense.

Victor, Malaga, Spain

I caught some of the interview in question - and nearly choked when Mr Aaronovitch apparently tried to claim credit for the government for the economic growth experienced since 1997. We live in a (still partly) free capitalist system, which generates economic growth all by itself. The govt deserves no credit except for when it stays out of the way and lets this growth happen, which we have a right to expect simply as basic competence. Furthermore, Mr Aaronovitch doesn't seem to be taking into account that govt, by drastically increasing taxation has taken a large chunk of that growth, and squandered it. As for low unemployment; how much of that is due to bloated govt payroll? And how much to simple figure-fixing?

And I am bored of left-wing people screaming "xenophobia" all the time. Abuse is not a substitute for reason, and nobody is now convinced by such language who wasn't convinced before.

And as for the BBC being right-wing, don't make me laugh.

Alex Swanson, Milton Keynes, UK

I don't suppose that anyone would claim that the Daily Mail articles are always balanced, thoroughly researched or"nuanced". But nor are those of any daily newspaper - not even Times' columnists. What causes David Aaronovitch to lose his cool I suspect is the fact that despite all the posturing and pretence - not to mention dishonesty - of the liberal establishment, the state of Britain (consumerism apart) is not a happy one. Most left/liberal beliefs, assertions and (increasingly) desperate impositions have proved to be flawed, destructive and wrong.

From broken families to irreligious moral vacuums, the rapacity of all parts of society - not least the public sector - to complete loss of identity, community and certainty, the picture is dire. Liberals cannot accept the truth that their vision of the perfect society has proved as disastrous as those of every group of maniacal believers who seize power and try to bully people into their concept of a perfect world. Do not rage and condemn David. Just accept that you are wrong. Humble pie for dinner.

Bernard, Norwich, UK