SIR - I bow to no-one in my admiration of David Hockney's art. Not least because I was privileged to see some of his work when he was a completely unknown student in the 1950s.

I pride myself that even then I was able to recognise an astonishing and unique talent.

Sadly, however, I have to agreed wholeheartedly with your editorial (T&A, June 27), condemning his cynical, insulting and ignorant comments on the smoking ban.

I still regard him as our greatest living artist. It is just a pity that I may now have to regard him as our greatest living selfish curmudgeon as well.

Peter Wilson, Thornhill Grove, Calverley l SIR - Why oh why do the British public think that they are above the law and we are better than others?

I refer to the smoking ban and the fact that it is reported that many have defied it and lit up because they claim it infringes their civil liberties. What a load of rubbish.

Does that mean the civil liberties of people of New York, Scotland, Wales and Ireland where the ban has been in force are inferior?

These countries/principalities have accepted the law and kept to it without the song and dance that the English create.

What is wrong with our mentality? Smoking kills; look at the statistics. Can anyone seriously say it is good for you?

Softly, softly approaches are a waste of time. If someone is smoking in the pub kick them out. A law is a law!

M Byrne, Clover Street, Little Horton, Bradford