Readers' letters - May 10

Well, the news has finally broken. The list of Lancashire County Council buildings ear-marked for closure was released at 4pm on Friday, May 6 – just when all the LCC ‘poets’ have gone home for the weekend.

The day AFTER the elections.

How cynical of Jennifer Mein and Co.

What time is it best to bury bad news?

Is it any wonder that the public-at-large have no respect for politicians of any side?

They are completely devoid of vertebrae and deserve no respect whatsoever.

I notice that the list consists of library, children’s centre, youth, library, children’s centre, youth, library, et cetera, et cetera.

Not one politician has been done away with in all these cuts.

Not one expense claim thrown in the bin.

Not one iota of embarrassment and shame.

As part of my hobby in retirement, I visited almost every library in Preston and South Ribble on Friday, and when learning of the cuts on returning home, it explained the overwhelming aura of gloom that purveyed amongst the staff I visited.

When you attack children and the pursuit of knowledge you have really lost it.

Well, Councillor, were you proud to go home and tell your grandchildren that you have closed their libraries and centres?

Is this your legacy, something politicians always seem to wish to leave behind them?

Shame, shame, Jennifer Mein, what did you do at work today?

Stewart McLoughlin, Longton

Have more sense about buildings

I am beginning to dread opening the pages of the Lancashire Evening Post to see the latest drastic measures being taken by our local council to save money.

I hope this time instead of selling our wonderful buildings, such as the orphanage and the old workhouse, for a song to opportunists to make an absolute fortune out of them, they will have the sense to develop the buildings or, seeing as they are so short of money, sell them on for a decent price so we may all benefit.

I really, really despair at the gross inefficiency of these amateurs.

Deeply concerned 
Preston

Show support for nursing staff

Once again, the Conservative Government is eroding nursing pay. Whilst it is true that last month the Government awarded nurses a meagre one per cent pay rise, it still means nurses’ pay is around 14 per cent behind the cost of living than when David Cameron came to power in 2010.

Now there’s been another attack on our pay. This time changes in National Insurance arrangements on pensions will wipe out our one per cent rise before it even hits our pay packet.

It’s just not good enough. That’s why we’re asking all members of the public to support the RCN’s campaign for fair pay for all nursing staff.

If you are a member of the public and would like to tweet your support for fair pay for nurses, please either visit www.rcn.org.uk/nursingcounts or tweet your local MP directly using the hashtag #nursingcounts.

Nursing staff work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, caring for patients. Please help show us you care by supporting our campaign.

Let’s tell the Government that nursing staff won’t stand for it any longer. Thousands of our members across the region are dedicated to caring for you, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, whatever your illness or condition. Please show your support for us.

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) North West Board

A few reasons to leave the Union

It is surprising the number of potential voters in the upcoming June 23 referendum who claim they do not have sufficient information other than to vote to ‘remain in the EU’. It is essential they fully understand what this really involves, since it will greatly affect the rest of their and our lives, with no further opportunity to withdraw. Once we vote to remain in the EU we will be at the mercy of this Brussels EU Superstate Government.

Almost certainly the cost of our membership will be increased substantially (many have complained at the amount we have already paid). Expect this to rocket even more in future.

Our legal system (one of the fairest in the world) will be over-ruled by the EU at every turn. Our court rulings will be dismissed in favour of the EU Napoleonic system, ‘you are guilty until proved innocent’, not ‘innocent until proved guilty’; which has applied in the UK. Our inability to return proven criminal elements to their EU countries of origin is already a bone of contention.

The TTIP system, now being brokered between the EU and US, will be forced on us. It will mean the end of the NHS in favour of a US-style medical insurance scheme. The acceptance of USA Monsanto GM seeds and the widespread use of other contaminated GM products for growing our foodstuffs, formerly rejected by farmers throughout Europe, will now become mandatory.

Our Army, RAF and Royal Navy will disappear in favour of being absorbed into a new EU Defence Force already proposed by the EU in order to satisfy America’s insistence on EU sharing.

Our Westminster Parliament will be downgraded further to the level of a provincial assembly or parish council. We will lose all control of our economy, which many allege has already taken place with many of our Parliamentary proposals being over-ruled by the EU.

The present 28-nation EU will shortly have to accept Turkey as a new member, as already agreed with Angela Merkel’s Germany as a condition of their containing the flow of Syrian migrants into Greece. Turkey’s previous inability to satisfy the long-term conditions required for acceptance into EU membership does not augur well.

These are a few reasons (among many more) why we should vote to cut off our membership of this undemocratic EU Superstate. No further opportunity will be given us again.

E J Tilley, Chorley