I SUSPECT many like myself are sick of hearing of Zimbabwe and the clown who rules it, Robert Mugabe.

He has obviously forgotten that it was a British government that was responsible for the overthrow of Ian Smith's white rule of that country nearly 40 years ago, and was influential in placing him in power of that once relatively prosperous country.

Questions have abounded as to why President Mbeki of South Africa and other black regimes in that region have consistently failed to condemn Mugabe's apparent misrule - although TV images show he has a considerable following at his political gatherings.

It is obvious that he has considerable sympathy from these fellow African states, with his Anglophobic rhetoric and hatred of the white man - although preferring not to openly agree with him, mindful that the habitual annual aid, shovelled out to them from this country may be compromised, but they should have no fear of that.

With all the threats and condemnations uttered by Brown, Mugabe is still in the receipt of the annual £100m aid forked out, of course, by the British tax payer - we must be mad to put up with it.

GEORGE HUMPHREYS Ringsbury Close Purton Swindon