Readers' letters

'˜UK's human rights abuses'
A reader says disabled people have suffered from human rights abuses  and the UN agrees. See letterA reader says disabled people have suffered from human rights abuses  and the UN agrees. See letter
A reader says disabled people have suffered from human rights abuses  and the UN agrees. See letter

How does Britain’s human rights abuses fit in with Mrs May’s continual bumf about her Government ‘working for everyone’?

Let’s be clear what the recent UN report on Britain’s systemic violation of the human rights of disabled people actually said.

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The report viciously dammed the UK as the first country in the world to be found guilty of the intentional and deliberate human rights abuse of disable people.

Yes, they came to the conclusion that such violations were intentional and deliberate.

That the British state could use welfare reform simply with the intent of forcing disabled people off benefits and primarily as a way of motivating them into employment, is a sad indictment of a Tory party not just out of touch with reality, but one totally out of step with the rest of the world.

This deliberate strategy would still be abhorrent if it actually worked.

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But it is simply a callous strategy of sink or swim and one where many disabled people have actually died from, one way or another.

If this report had been about France, Germany or any other of our (former) EU colleagues, there would have arguably been much moral bleating from the corridors of Westminster.

Instead, we simply get DWP plans for pretty much more of the same.

Shameful.

Paul Dodenhoff via email

Big business rules the roost

You think our new PM is on the side of “ordinary working class people”? Recent events may bring back a dose of reality.

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Firstly the fracking decision. It’s well known that local concerns regarding environmental issues – traffic, noise, industrialisation of the countryside, et cetera – were key in Lancashire County Council’s decision to refuse planning permission.

While locals celebrated, Cuadrilla appealed to the Government.

I thought then this isn’t over yet, despite this being an administration that championed local democracy – allegedly.

Who really doubted the outcome of that appeal?

Big business almost always gets its way – fact – and you can bet your life on that being a ‘done deal’ before pro-fracking Cameron oozed away from politics, unofficially at least.

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Consider then the Somerset nuclear plant fiasco. Many, even pro-nuclear, feel that it is an economically poor deal for the UK.

Mrs May appeared to be backsliding on that project for a while. Implications about national security due to the involvement of the Chinese were mooted.

But (you guessed it) big business – this time EDF and China – were not to be denied. Already a ‘done deal’ – pre-Mrs May I think.

That’s relevant to our area as we’ll probably get another nuclear power station in the medium term. Add that to fracking wells (coming to a field near you quite soon) and you have the final nail in the coffin of North Lancashire as a rural area.

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That’s what’s going to happen whether you’re ‘ordinary working class’ or not and whether you like it or not because, despite recent soundbites to the contrary, big business rules, okay?

If we let it ...

Spin Hater, Ellel

Why do we get charity bags?

The people who deliver the charity bags sure start early.

First one through the door 6.35am. The next at 11am and now another at 4.30pm.

I don’t see the need to put the bags through, just a leaflet would do. If you wanted to help the cause you can always pop it in a bin bag. Talking of those, I haven’t bought any for ages, I get a regular delivery to my door three times a day.

Jayne Grayson via email

We’ll go on a protest march

It would be an absolute national and political disgrace if pro-EU MPs were allowed to thwart Brexit by calling a Parliamentary vote on any Brexit deal or by preventing Article 50 from being used.

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It would smack of totalitarian dictatorship from Brussels, with most of our own politicians betraying our country by supporting that dictatorship.

If that happened, there ought to be a protest march on London by leave voters on at least the same scale as the anti-poll tax protest that happened under Margaret Thatcher, with the burning of EU flags included in the mass anti-EU demonstration.

Thwarting Brexit is exactly the same as ignoring an unpopular result because Brexit was a democratic vote by the majority of the voters in the referendum on the EU and should therefore be respected by the politicians.

As most pro-EU MPs are Labour MPs and many people who usually voted Labour voted for Brexit, that is most probably another way that Labour is alienating and losing many voters and therefore committing political suicide.

Robert Neil Coupe, Lostock Hall

Getting close to appeal fatigue

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Children in Need will soon be here, and it never fails to amaze me that, whatever the financial climate, the British people surpass last year’s total every time.

It’s quite a transparent charity, I believe, and one I support, but one thing bothers me.

Can you watch TV without an appeal?

Each time it’s “Text Water” or “Text Blanket “ to some charity, often filmed by a “celebrity”.

This is now expanded by animal charities , where we are to save Spanish donkeys or whatever, and don’t forget the daily plastic bags and heart-wrenching mail that cascades daily.

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Don’t get me wrong, we can and should help where we can, but which?

There have been appeals for clean water since before Band Aid, and yet they continue.

So, what I am saying is, be generous, but try to make sure your kindness goes where YOU want it to go!

Allan Fazackerley via email