LIKE many others, I read the expenses list of our MPs. I'm afraid that because of the way in which these things are reported, the gullible public actually believe that MPs pocket the expenses claimed while pensioners have to live on a pittance.

I'm not arguing that expenses are too high or just right, but simply pointing out that MPs' expenses are claimed for staff, for travelling around rural constituencies etc.

To print such irresponsible items in the media is like saying that the minister for health claims £100 million expenses when this money goes on running the NHS, or that the chairman of a company receives all the money that the company makes over the year.

How stupid we would be if we believed that.

We also have the printing and reporting of Parliamentary goings on such as the argument about British troops being moved to south Baghdad which only informs the "enemy" well in advance of the military's intent. This leads to such things as the kidnap of Mr Bigley and Mrs Hassan to try to coerce the Government into aborting such moves.

Can you imagine the media during the Second World War reporting on things that would have informed the Germans of the intention to land at Normandy?

If for example, terrorists knew the media wouldn't report things like the kidnap of Mrs Hassan, there would be little point in kidnapping her in the first place.

I for one am sick and tired of sensationalist reporting by all branches of the media to sell papers or boost ratings on TV.

I'm not advocating censorship, but an irresponsible media is worse than no media at all, and often the consequences of such irresponsible reporting ends in tragedy.

W Elliott,

Kinbrace Road, Hartlepool.

Updated: 10:51 Monday, November 01, 2004