To have the Tories blaming the Government for the state of the railway network they broke up and sold off cheap while still in power is bad enough at the moment but for them to use the Queen's Golden Jubilee for a bout of party-political point-scoring is quite unbelievable.

Messrs Oxley and Theobald will be first in the queue to whinge when council tax goes up this year to pay for improvements in local services. How much extra would they like us to pay in order for the local authority to hang out some flags and serve jelly and ice cream to the entire population? Which already overstretched budgets would they cut to pay for their parade? Who would have to go without? Schoolchildren? Old people? The bin men? Why do they oppose having events such as the New Year's Eve celebrations but think it's okay for the local taxpayer to stump up for this one? Community-organised street parties were fine in 1977 and they will do fine this year.

And Nicholas Soames MP would do well to stay quiet on all matters royal while people still remember his appearance on Newsnight casting doubts about the mental health of Diana, Princess of Wales, shortly before her death.

-Warren Morgan, Freshfield Street, Brighton