Who does Hoon think he's kidding? 'Gordon isn't interested in money and finance as such. Everybody knows that.' Add in Gordon's own statement to a schoolchild recently 'I wasn't very good at maths in school'. Where does the self-styled 'brilliantly successful Iron Chancellor' label fit in? The man is a clown pure and simple and the likes of Hoon and Co will never be able to disguise the fact. He's been found out!
Ian Brown, Stony Stratford

Wonderful comment by Geoff Hoon. Gordon Brown is well known to be uninterested in financial matters when he was Chancellor of the Exchequer!
Ian McIntosh

Mr Hoon has spent the vast majority of his interview this morning referring to the mistakes that have been made and the need to reform party funding when, more accurately, he should have been referring to the admitted criminal conduct of senior members of the Labour Party with the knowledge or connivance of an as yet uncertain further number of senior party members. That they're being found with their fingers in the till should prompt the proposal that the taxpayer should fund an open till to be placed conveniently close beggars belief.
Maurice Bulmer

Can someone please tell me how I arrived at 70 yrs of age without all the present day nonsense we keep getting from politicians?
Peter Dolan, Durham

Gordon Brown was a vastly over-rated and very fortunate Chancellor, who kept things going by selling off our gold at a ridiculously low price, raiding pensions and increasing taxes. It is now apparent just how ineffective he was.
Stephen Springthorpe, St Leonards on Sea

I'm currently a student at University, and have been drinking since I was about 16. Beverley Hughes was simply wrong when she said it wasn't as simple as stress causing alcohol consumption. Almost everyone I know goes out and drinks because they're stressed from coursework, exams, and exam preparation. It's one of the reasons adults go and drink, so why shouldn't young people have the same reason?
Kris Lipscombe, UK

I'm 16 and I think that, yes, we must not ignore the fact that there are problems with childhood at the moment but we must also concentrate, reward and acknowledge the positive aspects of young people. We are extremely diverse, racially and ethnically. exams at the ages of 6/7, 10/11, 13/14, 15/16, 17 and 18 is just far too much, a parent will know how their child is doing in school if they just showed a deeper interest instead of sitting their children through hours upon hours of exams. There needs to be a "break free" and alcohol and "yobbish" behaviour seems to be the escape that we need. Adults expect young people to be mature when they want it but then submit and be a child when it doesn't suit them to have a young adult around. Sometimes it's hard to know if we're coming or going.
Charlene, UK

I am a teacher at a sixth form college and it seems to me that I teach in a world of targets not people. The amount of 16yr olds who go onto to A-levels and lack English writing skills is growing and growing. How are they passing GCSE's?
Mr O'Sullivan, England

It's infuriating to hear Beverley Hughes trotting out the tired old mantra 'in the conservative years' to try to justify her governments dire record in this area - that was 10 years ago. It's disingenuous to say the least!
Andie Hemming, Shropshire

To get kids out playing in the parks, we will first have to stop them playing on game consoles. Parents should promote a more outdoor leisure.
Mr Craig Van-Eijk, UK

I applaud the Health Secretary's decision to reduce the next wave of ISTC commissioning, but not because it is trade with the private sector. It is sensible because many of the PFI hospitals have capacity and given their fixed costs it makes good economic sense to bring those services back �in house� leveraging those fixed costs as opposed to opening new ISTCs and incurring additional unnecessary costs.
Henry Scott, England

Yesterday my wife went to A&E with a broken foot, where she received excellent treatment. She was then sent to an assessment ward. All change, no beds, patients left for hours and hours in chairs. The ward was clogged by elderly people with no where to go and not enough staff. She discharged herself. Is the NHS bogged down by the inability of the system to care for or ageing population?
Michael Topping, UK

Ben Bradshaw exemplifies the nub of the problem with this Government. They have spent far too long talking down to us in a way that assumes that we don't understand the issues. A "change of tone" is not going to change that. The public know that all these so called "reforms" are about cutting beds and cutting services, in the guise of modernising the health service. But cuts on this scale are dangerous to the nation's health. In South Gloucestershire we are losing an entire hospital of 636 beds, halving our acute bed provision, whilst also facing a rapid growth in population. These measure are unsafe, as in the emergency situation in Norwich yesterday. Trying explaining to the patients in 10 ambulances outside hospitals, waiting for beds, that this is the latest in modern healthcare.
Barbara Harris, England

Cancer can affect anyone at anytime - the same services should be available across the NHS / UK - based on the budget available - one for all and all for one!
Brian Lawrence, Swindon

Yes we need to support other countries, but we need to sort our own schools and health service out first.
Dan, Bicester

I note Douglas Alexander didn't actually deny his daily phone calls and meetings over policy direction!
Andy, Newcastle

Good to see Douglas Alexander, bragging about spending millions on schools in Africa. They have just closed a primary school at nearby Ulverston. Why do this government toady to world opinion and ignore issues at home?
Chris Barton, England

How encouraging it would be if we the tax payer were shown these schools etc in Africa and elsewhere we have helped to build - make us feel part of it too. It is okay for these politicians to get all the thanks and joy at seeing positive actions to help some of these poor struggling people, as all we seem to be shown is the terrible conditions and none of the positive side
Lyn Cox

I think Douglas Alexander was fantastic!
Anonymous

Mr. Brown championing aid to Africa is fine, but it's our tax money he gives by taxing our pension to fund his generosity. Does charity not begin at home? He needs to look after UK plc first and not corrupt governments of Africa.
Pravin, Birmingham

I support overseas aid providing Brits do not suffer. As long as education, health & the armed forces need more money taxes should go there!
N, Herts

They seem to be more interested in Africa than the mess they have caused and left behind in our own country. It seems convenient to be busy in Uganda and ignore devastating issues here. Nothing more than I would expect from this pathetic crowd under a pathetic leader.
Christine, London

After last weeks 'debate' between the two leadership candidates, why don't the Lib Dems retain Vince Cable as leader? He actually seems to be the best candidate.
Tony Fox, England

I would just like to comment on the article about prisons. If the government repatriated illegal immigrants.who, have commited crimes in this country it would reduce the population by at least one fifth. They also need to look at reintroducing the death penalty for capital crimes. This is my opinion as a serving prison officer.
Anonymous

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