Free debate is the way to defeat creationism 2

James D. Williams (Letters, 25 September) asks for more peer-reviewed research from the "intelligent-design creationist" school of thought. Is he unaware of what happens on those rare occasions when such a paper is passed for publication by fair-minded editors? The whole Darwinian establishment shouts in its best politically correct voice: "You are not allowed to say that!"

Richard Sternberg discovered this in 2004 when, after peer review and despite his own disagreement with the author's conclusions, he published in Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington an article by Stephen Meyer that discussed the generation of information that would be needed to fuel the Cambrian explosion.

Sternberg claims that he faced severe criticism, wild allegations and pressure to resign his research post. The facts surrounding the incident are, of course, disputed, but the recent fuss at the Royal Society is another example of this illiberal mindset.

Darwinists can't criticise people for not publishing then scream blue murder when they do.

Dave Kimber, St Neots, Cambridgeshire.