What is going on in our country? What are we coming to? How much longer are we to put up with it?

When Sue and I were farming more actively, we got up very early in the mornings. Now that we are less pressed, one of the great 'pleasures' of the day is being woken by the radio at 6 a.m. It is set to BBC Radio 4 and I, for one, find the Today programme extremely helpful, particularly during the run-up to this General Election, in enabling me to have an hour or so of surveying the latest British and world news. The presenters are intelligent and most of the time the content is well-produced. On occasion, though, I nearly jump out of bed in shock. This morning was one such.

Go to - http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8582000/8582347.stm

There was a senior police officer describing the difficulties of policing the Greater Manchester area. Greater Manchester embraces the traditional former Lancashire cotton town of Salford. The senior police officer described the particular difficulties involved in the recent Iraqi General Election. Please don't get me wrong. I was all for the deposing of the dictator Saddam Hussein and I am all for democratic General Elections for Iraqis in Iraq. But in Salford?

According to the senior police officer, there was a polling station for the Iraqis in Salford and, again according to him, there were also serious fights between the Iraqi Sunnis and the Iraqi Shi-ites in Salford.

Now, I know that Iraqis have had a difficult time recently. Some have felt the need to come to this country. But, Saddam Hussein having been deposed and democratic General Elections having been re-introduced for Iraqi people in Iraq, is there still a need for so many Iraqis to be in this country in general and in Salford in particular?

May I respectfully suggest that the Iraqis who are here be requested to go back to their own country and not to fight their religious and political fights in Salford - or anywhere else in England - causing hassle for our police and expense for our people.

What is going on in our country? What are we coming to? How much longer are we to put up with it?

And, yes, I know that the Americans who are 'over here' can vote in their General Elections at the American Embassy but, so far as I am aware, Democrats and Republicans don't usually have religious or political fights that require the attentions of British police and expense for British people.