KEN’S NOT OUR MAN: During last year’s spate of strikes on the railways, did you wonder why the Mayor of London was so unwilling to stick up for commuters in Greenwich? If so, perhaps you might be interested to know Aslef, the train drivers’ union, has just announced it will be financially backing Ken Livingstone at the next mayoral election. It seems the mayor does not really care about commuters, trading their uncomfortable journeys into work for money to pay for a couple of posters of himself. The tragedy is, does anyone really expect anything different from our present mayor?

Eric Ollerenshaw, Leader of the London Assembly Conservatives

WHY PAY TAX?: I had my vehicle stolen in February 2001. Like Phil Wardale, I am a disabled person and my vehicle too was specially adapted (Letters, May 28). Although I reported the theft to the police, the same thing happened: they did nothing. They did not even bother to visit me, and to this day I do not know what happened to the van. It raises the question why do we, even disabled people, pay the council tax? Although my insurance firm paid up, it still left me out of pocket by having to pay higher premiums. I know what Phil must be going through. No words can describe these bar stewards who carry out these crimes.

John S Mason, Woolwich

WRONG SIDE OF TRACKS: As someone who grew up in Catford and now lives in California, I have one comment about referring to the East End as Eastside (News Shopper, June 11). If the idea is, in part, to attract American visitors then why would the change from East End, which Americans are familiar with through EastEnders, to the Eastside, which Americans understand to mean “the wrong side of the tracks” or the worst part of town, make any sense at all? In about any American town or city I know of, the eastside means nothing but trouble. You would do better to play up the EastEnders connection.

Howard O’Dell, Email address supplied

BOY SOLDIERS: I am looking for any veterans, or immediate relatives of veterans, who served as underage boys during the First World War. Many thousands of boys, aged as young as 14 and 15, served in the forces and I am keen to make contact with any who are still alive and who would now be aged 101 or above. Their memories will be used in a Channel 4 documentary telling the story of the boy soldiers and sailors. I am looking for documents, letters, memoirs or photographs of these boys to illustrate the programme. Write to Richard van Emden, Testimony Films, 12 Great George Street, Bristol, BS1 5RS, call 0117 9258589 or email mail@testimonyfilms.force9.co.uk

Richard van Emden,Testimony Films