THERE can surely be no doubting that the public spending deficit must be urgently tackled.

Clearly it poses a great threat to growth, jobs and monetary stability.

The Coalition makes no secret of our perilous course to restore economic health to the nation.

Where, inter alia, one might have cause to be concerned lies in the antics of the Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Single-handed, Ms Spelman has turned upside down a number of the Coalition's avowed aims and is now heading a panel to have a second go!

In the course of her first fatuous attempt, she has placed a number of Coalition MPs in a hugely embarrassing position as they risked the wrath of constituents by obstinately defending a policy which Ms Spelman went to the Commons to describe as "having got it wrong."

Matters do not end here. Whilst Coalition Ministers and MPs lecture the public on the need to accept painful cost cutting measures, we hear little discussion of ways and means of reducing the cost of parliament to the public purse!

Do our leaders perhaps need reminding that the most effective form of leadership is that conducted by example, rather than merely exhortation?

– D. Lawrence, Lancaster Drive, Lydney.