Letters: In Brief

Sir: David Mellor is either naive or ill-informed when he claims that the European Commission fine against the organisers of last year's World Cup was derisory (report, 22 July). The fine was a mere token (it could have been a penny), necessary to pave the way for the creation of a precedent to ensure fair access to tickets by any citizen of the European Union, irrespective of the country in which the game takes place.

GEOFFREY MARTIN

Head of Representations in the UK

The European Commission

London SW1

Sir: David McCririck (letter, 20 July) omits one of the most important reasons for breaking speed limits: that the limit is inappropriate. A limit of 30mph through the centre of a small village is fine, but does it really need to extend for miles into open country each side? When a limit is patently wrong for the local conditions, it leads to disrespect for the system as a whole.

Dr TIM DENNIS

Colchester, Essex

Sir: Fran Abrams implies that Michael Ashcroft is a man who can comfortably relax with friends at a Michael Jackson concert ("The shadows that linger over Tories' paymaster", 22 July). Many right-thinking people will find this hard to believe. Who are these friends? And why should they be interested in a performance by the well-known children's entertainer? I hope your Westminster correspondent has evidence to support this absurd allegation and is not merely peddling smear, rumour or innuendo.

JOHN ROBERTS

London, SE22