Wreaths, tributes and platitudes are a wholly inadequate response to the murders of Jessica and Holly.

Any truly civilised society would have drawn the line years ago and restored the death penalty for such atrocities but, far from taking appropriate action, New Labour has presided over a policy of liberalisation and relaxation of moral values, which make a virtue of self-indulgence and brutality.

The vulgarity and licentiousness of Cool Britannia endorses sexual perversion, the abuse of drugs is actively encouraged and exposes our children in particular to the mercy of a criminal class, without conscience or remorse.

To its shame, the Christian church and the judiciary have yielded to political correctness which puts all law-abiding citizens at risk.

Clearly, the death penalty should be restored and moreover extended to trafficking in hard drugs.

However, to make such possible, all European and other human rights legislation would have to be dumped and police efficiency would have to be increased.

The police now enjoy the benefits of advanced technology, such as extensive media coverage and DNA, yet the clear-up rate for crime continues to give rise for concern.

To protect the rights of the truly innocent, trial judges in murder and drugs cases would have the discretion to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment if a conviction was considered unsafe.

Despite the bad press, when it comes to moral values, Islam puts us to shame, which doubtless explains its increasing number of converts. Fornication, let alone theft and murder, attract severe punishment (we wouldn't have enough coffins) albeit that sounds a little harsh.

Against such a background, however, the values of Bush, Blair and the West surely stand condemned.

-Donald Creighton, Stone Cross, Pevensey