SO, Gordon Brown is incensed and “appalled” at the Chinese decision to execute the drug smuggler Akmal Shaikh.

It is a pity he does not have the same compassion for Garry McKinnon, who is waiting to be extradited to America, where he faces a possible lengthy sentence.

I would be interested to see how Mr Brown would have acted if Gary McKinnon had been the drug smuggler and Akmal Shaikh had been the computer hacker.

No difference, you say? Well, I’m not convinced.

Chris Probert, Banbury Road, Kidlington