It should not be a birth right

The House of Lords in its present form has sadly become an anachronism in the modern age.

On the eve of a new millennium it surely cannot be right that unelected hereditary peers get into a position of power, not through talent, but by birth, thanks to laws passed in the 14th century.

And let's face it, what does a member of the landed gentry have in common with somebody from the terraced backstreets of Brighton or the new estates of Crawley?

Absolutely nothing.

However, a House of Lords minus its hereditary peers does have an important role to play.

It has the power to keep a Government with a huge Commons majority in check, making sure the ministers of the day don't overstep the mark, especially when faced with a weak opposition.

And that's an important fail-safe in a democracy which we would do well to keep until somebody can come up with a better system.

Courage

It takes some courage to adopt a baby. To adopt a terminally ill baby is even more remarkable.

But that is exactly what Peacehaven foster mum Jane Dudeny did with a baby girl called Annie who was suffering from a fatal disease called Edwards' Syndrome.

Jane, whose own mother had only recently died from Alzheimer's Disease, admitted: "The first couple of months were terrifying."

Four years later, Annie is a happy child who smiles gently when you stroke her skin.

Annie's story is one reason why we need a new children's hospice in East Sussex, giving vital back-up to carers like Jane. And every one of our readers can help in the Brighton Lions' Club fund-raising campaign.

Please support the Leo House Hospice Appeal. Any donation, however small, will be much appreciated. There can be few worthier causes.

Pretty Polly

Polly Klidaras has the golden touch.

She is competition crazy and over the past year has won three foreign holidays, a brand new car, two mopeds, a tumble drier, a dishwasher, a weekend at a health spa, various electrical goods and thousands of pounds in cash.

And the secret of her success? Enter every competition going.

It has certainly earned Polly a pretty penny.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.