Letters: In Brief

Sir: Critics of Jack Straw's proposed curtailment of the right to trial by jury assume that his motive is to save money and time. I suspect that it will also improve justice. Having served on three juries, I'm with Mark Twain: "The jury system puts a ban upon intelligence and honesty and a premium upon ignorance, stupidity and perjury." No wonder lawyers love it.

RICHARD DAWKINS

Oxford

Sir: David Aaronovitch ("Yes, I smack my kids too, but it's an admission of my failure", 21 May) has failed to make any distinction between a parent losing control and grabbing a child tightly or smacking on the back of the legs and a man pulling an eight-year-old girl's knickers down in public and smacking her bare buttocks. With the first most children learn not to push their parents too far; the second is abuse.

CLAIRE DAVENPORT

Halesworth, Suffolk

Sir: There was another film about the Notting Hill area and it was earlier than 10 Rillington Place ("It's Notting Hill, but not as I know it", 20 May). It was called W11 and starred Alfred Lynch, a much better actor than Hugh Grant. Maybe they'll bring it out on video now that the area is getting all this publicity.

BERYL BARNES

London E3

Sir: Further to the recent letter from the Labour supporter (17 May), I would like to point out that there is only one party that not only is against the euro, but wishes to keep our system of law known as habeas corpus - as opposed to all British MEPs bar three. That is the UK Independence Party and we are standing in all constituencies.

J W SMITH

Euro-candidate

UK Independence Party

Ayr