I read with concern the trouble at Tang Hall Co-op, but little surprise (Evening Press, September 11). The problem with Tony Blair is that he is content to grab a few cheap headlines in his drive to make Britain a 'moral' place and instil 'values' (his ones) in the youth of today.

At the same time the Chancellor holds out prospects of tax cuts to the salaried classes.

What they don't understand is that we have a system of education which makes failures of people at GCSE level, and estates where there is nothing for young people to do in the evenings.

I would call on City Of York Council to put some serious money into Tang Hall youth, offer youth facilities (such as Oaklands), offer free passes to exclusive clubs (such as Courtney's Leisure at Ryedale), and free tickets for evening entertainment to clubs and Warner Brothers.

There is an unpleasant streak in the Labour Government that would deride giving 'something for nothing' but I think today's youth deserve the best that society can give them, not more police officers and video cameras and social exclusion orders. They deserve better.

Chris Clayton,

Hempland Drive, York.

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