IT is noticable that Candy Atherton, currently the MP for Falmouth and Camborne, has been very vocal in her condemnation of hunting with dogs, at times making it a very personal issue and citing "cruelty" as being one of the factors.

In common with the Deputy Prime Minister, she has been confrontational in tone. We expect little else of New Labour.

But we hear nothing from her about the barbaric issues of slaughtering favoured by various religious groups in this country, namely Muslim and Jewish,where the animals concerned face a lingering and terrifying death, despite it being an offence clearly on the statute books.

Come on Ms Atherton, let's hear where you stand on this issue, or is it too politically sensitive for you or your masters to comment on?

Peter Keen, Westbourne, Blisland, Bodmin