Readers' letters - January 2

Thank you Tony for your letter commenting on my views on certain trades union leaders instigating political strikes.

Let’s get a few things straight before I comment on your letter.

Firstly, early in my career, I belonged to the same trades union as yourself and agree that trade unions have improved the lot of the working man but, you must agree, at times they have been disastrously led into disputes, which, because of their political nature, have annihilated them from any public support.

The miners’ strike was a classic example, a great body of working men led by a political motivated nobody who thought revolution was round the corner. It wasn’t and the rest is painful history.

Tony, Margaret Thatcher (pictured) brought in changes to Trade Union Law to take anarchy off the streets. By the way, if the laws were that bad, why was Margaret Thatcher twice re-elected Prime Minister after the laws were placed on the statute book and why didn’t the following Labour Government sweep them away?

You also state that public opinion is on the side of the striking RMT train drivers.

I bet the poor travellers on Southern Rail certainly don’t agree with that one.

You end with a two liner, Political Strikes.

He hasn’t got a clue.

Well Tony, what do you think about the speech of the RMT President Mr Hoyle when he stated: “Unions were co-coordinating to bring the Government down”.

Also referring to an article in a paper which said unions were working together to damage the Tories, Mr Hoyle said: “Guess what, we are!

“Any trade unionist with any sense wants to bring down this working-class-hating Tory Government, that’s what we want to do. That’s what we’re about.”

Well Tony, if that’s not politically motivated strike action, please tell me what 
is.

Bernard Darbyshire

via email

conflict

Is this another Cold War?

How many readers saw “the Coming War on China” the other week on TV? (one of the most interesting and frightening films).

The first part shows how the US forcibly removed the inhabitants of Bikini Island in the Pacific Marshall islands, who were then used as human guinea pigs in hundreds of nuclear experiments on Bikini.

Shown next was the growth of China over many decades and the demonisation of the Chinese.

Clearly the US was not, and is not, prepared to share world power and has spent many trillions on building hundreds of nuclear armed bases all around the Pacific and right up to China’s borders.

The comments of both US and Chinese officials were most revealing.

I feel we are in another cold war and am reminded of the terror of the Cuban missile crisis, when we were so very nearly obliterated by nuclear war.

How many here and in the US realise what our Governments are up to?

At the United Nations recently, 123 countries voted for negotiations on a global nuclear ban, to begin in

2017. The US and Britain would not sign.

Philippa Lloyd

Address supplied

current affairs

A horrible not surreal year

Well, what a year.

Apparently, the most commonly used word in one survey is “surreal”. I can think of other words to describe 2016.

Trump. Brexit and its attendant nastiness by certain groups. Terrorist attacks in Europe. The continued lack of interest in certain sections of the media regarding Aleppo whilst printing lies about migrants.

At home, the continued destruction by stealth of the NHS, the continued bullying of vulnerable people, the political hypocrisy.

The deaths of so many musicians of whom Bowie, Prince and Cohen were most covered by the media. Surreal is not the word, horrible is a better word.

T Maunder,

Address supplied

hunting

Foxes are vermin

As a boy of 12 in 1956, spending Christmas on a Norfolk farm, with friends my father made in the Second World War when stationed there pre-D Day, whose sideline was livestock transportation, we took the horse and pony of a huntsman and his son to the West Norfolk Hunt which met then at Aylsham.

A thoroughly enjoyable day out for both hunters and followers, the son returned “bloodied” which I had heard of, but never seen before.

Tim Bonner, of the Countryside Alliance, is exactly right to condemn opposition to hunting as class warfare.

Foxes are vermin who kill domestic livestock, not just for food but for pleasure, and need culling constantly. Also, if there was ever an outbreak of rabies here again, foxes would spread it like wildfire.

When there are so many more important issues to consider, that so much parliamentary time is being wasted on the subject of fox hunting seems pointless to me and I am sure many others.

D

via email

community

Speak up for libraries

The Speak up for Libraries campaign (speakupforlibraries.org) exists to highlight the plight of libraries in the UK, such as the hundreds of libraries which have closed since 2010, resulting in thousands of librarians being sacked and communities losing access to vital staffed library services.

Library users and staff can help highlight the plight of libraries in their area and advocate for change by emailing the Conservative Government’s library taskforce at libraries

[email protected] and contacting their MP.

Martin Vaughan

Address supplied

NOSTALGIA

Memories of bygone era

The Looking Back feature is of Ribbleton Avenue near to its junction with Gamull Lane (LEP December 29).

The Gamull pub can be seen next to the carriages.

It’s remarkable when looking at the area now, that the frontages have changed beyond recognition, what gives it away are the upstairs windows.

I was brought up not far away from this spot and it’s hard to believe how things have changed.

Great memories of a bygone era.

Alan Smith

via email

economy

Let’s have

a 99p coin

Is it not about time the Royal Mint considered producing and circulating coins valued at 99p?

Mr Ruthven Urquhart,

Address supplied