NEVER MIND THE PRICE (From Warrington Guardian)

NEVER MIND THE PRICE

I WAS shocked to hear the news of Jill Dando's murder on Monday afternoon.

Already a number of theories have been put forward concerning possible motives for it. One caller to my own show reckoned it might be linked to her Crimewatch programme.

The killing was meant as a message to all on that, and similar programmes, to back off. I don't know if this will turn out to be true - but there is a tradition of shooting the messenger.

WHILE I'm very much against drug use, I wonder why the News of the World picked on Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker for their weekend expose.

Walker has now been suspended by his bosses because of allegations about cocaine.

I'm sure loads of TV, radio bosses and even the saintly tabloid reporters - maybe a News of the world nostril check could be in order - have used it socially.

So why should they make a scapegoat of one?

IN SICKNESS NOT IN HEALTH

What are we to do about Incapacity Benefit? I have had callers worried about proposals to means test it.

But it is undoubtedly true that others abuse this benefit and treat it as an early retirement bonus.

As usual, it is the actions of these people that add to the suffering of those in genuine need.

And it will probably be the people who need IB most who get picked on by the inspectors.

If you think you can answer my initial question, give me a phone.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.