I am afraid the reality in many parts of the country is that it

I am afraid the reality in many parts of the country is that it is", he told The Guardian.Overcrowding was proving "absolutely fatal" to efforts to tackle the effective treatment of inmates, including those with drug addictions, he added.According to Home Office figures, there were 77,640 people in prison this month. Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice, called for better drug rehabilitation provision and said there was a need to increase the number of beds for mentally ill offenders if the prison-overcrowding crisis was to be eased. "We need much better drug rehabilitation facilities in the community. Drug users are deliberately committing offences to gain access to treatment for their addictions, the most senior judge in England and Wales said. The veiled comment from Britain's European Commissioner provoked suspicions that some of Tony Blair's circle want him to sack his beleaguered deputy - something Mr Blair is thought to be very reluctant to do. It brought a furious reaction from supporters of Gordon Brown, who is vehement that the Deputy Prime Minister should stay for at least as long as Tony Blair is in Downing Street.. Three backbench Labour MPs repeated the same message, in plainer language. John Prescott's precarious position worsened yesterday when Tony Blair's old favourite Peter Mandelson dropped a strong hint that the Deputy Prime Minister might do the Labour Party a service by resigning.

He hands over the Government to Mr Prescott less frequently than is often thought.. Although Tony Blair was then on a flight to Washington, modern communications allowed the Prime Minister to stay in charge from the sky. Mr Prescott was not, in fact, supposed to be "running the country" when he was leaning on his mallet. He is convinced if he gives any ground at all, his enemies will keep at him, demanding more. Those photographs of him playing croquet on Dorneywood's well-kept lawn, so damning in The Mail on Sunday, are not quite what they seem.

Neither is he going to give up his grace and favour mansion in Dorneywood, or anything else. One certain fact is that John Prescott is not in the mood to resign. So, after you've absorbed the emotional and moral depths of this story, lie back on a beach towel (or sofa), close your eyes and ponder her dilemma If you were Sylvia, which man would you choose, and why?. After all, there's Sylvia, with her own house, in a sunnily idyllic location, torn between big, clever Bennet and young, lithe Martin. So when Bennet and Martin behave in ways that seem morally inexcusable (I don't want to give away the plot) can they, should they, be forgiven? And are they the only ones who should be seeking forgiveness?The descriptions of Cretan life and scenery are enough to inspire a reader to pack bags, while Taylor's depictions of depression, infertility and their ramifications are heart-breakingly spot-on But it's not all serious, tear-jerking stuff. Here are two women, Sylvia and Theresa, both good, kind people, whose personal sorrows eclipse their abilities to consider the feelings and needs of their nearest and dearest.