Readers' letters - July 10

Recently, the Tory benches rang out with cheers when they won the vote on the Queen’s speech to continue with pay cuts for public sector workers.

A shameful display of arrogance.

May’s cry before the election was clear: “There is no magic money tree”.

What this means for our public sector workers is more debt, more pay day loans and likely more dependency on credit 
cards.

What kind of MP will vote for more austerity?

When May’s gamble with the electorate failed to give her more seats, the ‘Magic Money Tree’ miraculously showered £1bn in order to buy votes from the right wing DUP!

This act of crass stupidity has, however, rattled the cages of some of her own front bench, having realised that praising bravery and commitment from our police, nurses and fire fighters is not enough.

When it comes to putting their support into action, they have fallen woefully short.

It is sickening to realise that, while the money is not there for all our public sector workers, it is there when the Conservatives need it to keep in office!

The penny seems to have dropped with some Cabinet members though as Johnson, Gove and others are calling for a re-think.

The only way for the Conservative MPs to stay in power now is to listen to us and support our hard working public sector workers.

Roy Lewis

Address supplied

economy

We need to be responsible

Over the past few weeks, we have seen a constant call for the cap on public sector pay to be lifted and the tap on public spending turned up.

As parents and home owners, at times we have to think with our heads rather than our hearts. We know the latter can risk our children’s security. It’s no different with the country, and here’s why.

Last year the Government still spent £47bn more than it collected in tax (earned).

That’s 1.5 times the money we spend on defence. The national debt (our credit card bill ) stands £1.8 trillion or £1,800,000,000,000 which is 76 per cent of GDP.

This means that, if every bit of money the whole country earned was spent on paying down the debt, it would take nine months.

However, this debt is not the true debt.

No, if we now add in what we really owe in public sector and state pensions liabilities, and what the Government owes in money to PFI organisations, (money borrowed to build schools and hospitals) the real debt is £8.5 trillion £8,500,000,000,000,000.

The interest on the debt since 2010 would have paid for the NHS for nearly two years and, as we know, if we borrow more, this figure goes up. In the next seven years, that will be £500bn.

Just think how much better our schools and hospitals would be if we had this to spend rather than pay it in interest.

Anyone who has been in debt understands this.

The Government has reduced the annual borrowing from what it inherited – £158bn to £47bn. Labour calls this mean, I call it being a responsible parent.

Labour wants to borrow a lump sum of £250bn and increase the annual borrowing.

Now looking at this as a homeowner and parent, do you think we should borrow more as Labour argue or should we keep our credit cards in our pockets and pay down our debts?

Do we really think the rich really have that much money as the socialists wish you to believe? Do you really think it fair to keep living beyond our means, leaving the debt to our children and grandchildren? Is that fair to make them pay for our extravagance?

Simply put, socialists think with their hearts, but responsible parents think with their heads.

Andrew Tagg

Address supplied

nostalgia

I’m also

an Almond

I have read the letter in the LP regarding the Almond family tree (LP Letters, July 4).

Although I don’t think I am directly related, I am an Almond.

My father was Alfred Almond and was brought up in Horwich. Sadly, my dad passed away in April 2014.

My father had brothers – William, Robert, Henry, Daniel, George, Tom, Fred and sisters – Florrie, Fanny, Doris and Lilly.

My father was the youngest.

My father’s dad was Daniel Almond who was married to Fanny. I wonder if we are possibly related.

I don’t think my uncles ever went to New Zealand and were younger than the brothers mentioned in the lovely photograph.

(My father’s brother Robert had a son named Kevin who has a son called Phillip. They live in Devon).

Pam Gardner nee Almond

via email

environment

Hedges are taking over

I am writing about the hedges in Waterloo Road and Wellington Road, Ashton.

When I am out with my husband, we have to walk in single file because the vehicles and hedges seem to take up the paths.

I am disabled so need my husband’s support when out walking.

Even when it is raining, because the vehicles are parked up, half on and off the kerbs, my umbrella becomes entangled with the hedges and shrubs.

Years ago, the council used to spray the weeds on the paths to stop nettles and other thorny plants taking over but now, with all the cuts, the weeds are taking over the paths.

The tree at the end of Oswald Road/ Wellington Road has been sprayed with something and the tree is dying.

Finally we have people who do not pick up after their dog so it is like an obstacle course trying to avoid dog poo.

We also have a lot of litter, so perhaps we could do with some bins.

Vanessa

via email

education

Proving a point

on language

Some time ago, I wrote to this newspaper concerning the money wasted teaching foreign languages in

schools.

A short time ago, I was one of about ten interpreters working at a venue.

Not one of us went to school in England!

I believe, that this proves my point.

Donald Rutherford

Leyland