In Parliament recently Tony Blair at least twice said "There was no", whereas I should have thought he should have said "There isn't any".

Then you have MPs who use the expression "me and (whoever)" when to be correct they should be saying (whoever) and I". That is, you put the other person first.

Then there are those who use "was" when "were" should be used.

"Is" instead of "are" when there is more than one.

The list of examples could be very long. But when television presenters speak appallingly as do those on children's (sorry, kids) programmes, it is no wonder children of today have no idea how to speak correctly.

It is the same with dress sense, men not wearing a tie and those who put on a nice jacket or blazers but with jeans!

Do we have to listen George W copycats who have a problem of stringing together two sentences and then using improper English, or shall we excuse him for being American!

I hope Ming Campbell becomes the next Prime Minster, at least he speaks well.

RICHARD GRANT, Burley.