WE had Jack Straw telling us that a crime, any crime, is a racially motivated crime if anyone says it is. We now have David Blunket telling us that a crime is a terrorist crime if anyone says it is. Where will it all end?

Of course, this dictatorial and absurd yet sinister legislation has been drafted in the shadow of September 11 to weaken our judicial system and soften it up for the EU. These are the powers -- easy arrest and easy conviction -- that his latterday Ministry of Truth, the EU Commission, intends to avail itself of so anyone who dares to utter a word against the EU will find himself arrested and locked up indefinitely without trial. Orwell's nightmare is steadily unrolling itself.

NG Charnley,

Chesterfield Road,

Blackpool.