I was moved to write in response to MP David Lepper's crusade against charity muggers (Letters, April 12) and in particular to the anonymous attack on them (Letters, April 16).

I have no connections to or particular sympathy with these people collecting donations for charity.

Yes, they can be mildly irritating but the old British custom of saying "No, thank you" to them tends to work.

It seems they are doing a difficult job attempting to extract donations from a tight-fisted public that is willing to spend a fortune on essential brands or other useless fripperies but balks at giving to charity unless it is sure the money will be spent responsibly.

Do we exhibit the same levels of concern for the money that is sucked from our pockets by large multinational companies?

The claim that charities such as Oxfam are wasting the money given to them is extremely serious.

Oxfam and other major charities are under a lot of pressure to prove they use donations responsibly and money that could be used to help impoverished people has to be diverted to demonstrate this to a sceptical public.

May I suggest that if people want to focus their anger, they direct it at UK Government policies that keep organisations such as Oxfam and Barnardos so busy.

  • James Stephenson, Marine Parade, Brighton